Smoking cessation counseling as a teachable moment for skin cancer prevention: Pilot studies

Objective: To conduct pilot research examining smoking cessation counseling as a teachable moment for skin cancer prevention. Methods: Study I surveyed 199 beachgoers regarding skin cancer protection. Study II compared a standard smoking cessation treatment against one that incorporated skin cancer education (N = 35). Results: In Study I, smokers were less likely than non-smokers to wear sunscreen or perform skin self-examinations. In Study II, participants were satisfied with the integrated program; smoking cessation treatment efficacy was not compromised; and skin cancer knowledge and self-efficacy increased. Conclusions: Further study of smoking cessation as a teachable moment for other health behavior change is warranted.