Auteurs
1 Dermatology Department, Elias University Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest, Romania
2 Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna; Vienna, Austria
3 Dermatology Clinic, Hospital Maggiore, University of Triest, Italy
4 Dermatology Department, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Hopital Erasme, Brussels, Belgium
5 Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Brisbane, Australia
6 Eurodermoscopy Working Group Members
7 Dermatology Unit, University of Campania, Naples, Italy
8 Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
a Eurodermoscopy working group members:
Monika ARENBERGEROVA
Department of Dermatology, Third Medical Faculty, Charles University Prague, Czech Republic
Angelo AZENHA
Hospital Privado da Trofa, Portugal
Andreas BLUM
DermPrevOncol, Public, Private and Teaching Practice of Dermatology, Konstanz, Germany
Jonathan C. BOWLING
Private Practice Nuffield Hospital, Oxford, UK
Ralph P. BRAUN
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zürich, Switzerland
Matilda BYLAITE-BUCINSKIENE
Centre of Dermatovenereology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
Leo ČABRIJAN
Department of Dermatovenereology, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Hristo DOBREV
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical Faculty, Medical University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Hana HELPPIKANGAS
Dermatology Department, Clinical Center, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Raimonds KARLS
Department of Infectology and dermatology, Riga Stradins University, Derma Clinic Riga, Latvia
Uladzimir KRUMKACHOU, Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology Department, Belarusian Medical Academy of Post-Graduate Education, Minsk, Belarus
Nicole KUKUTSCH
Department of Dermatology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
Iona McCORMACK
Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Lali MEKOKISHVILI
Dermatovenereology Department at Caucasus International University, Tbilisi, Georgia
Nir NATHANSOHN
Department of Dermatology and the Advanced Technologies Center, C. Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
Kari NIELSEN
Lund University, Helsingborg Hospital, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Dermatology and Venereology, Lund, Sweden
Judit OLAH
Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
Fezal ÖZDEMIR
Private Practice, Alsancak, Izmir, Turkey
Susana PUIG
Melanoma Unit, Dermatology Department, Hospital Clínic & IDIBAPS (Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer), Barcelona, Spain.
Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain.
Departament de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Pietro RUBEGNI
Department of Dermatology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Tanja Planinsek RUCIGAJ
Dermatovenereological Clinic, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia
Thomas R. SCHOPF
Norwegian Centre for E-health Research, University Hospital of North-Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Vasily SERGEEV
Central Research Dermatology Clinic, Moscow, Russia
Alexander STRATIGOS
1st Department of Dermatology - Venereology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Andreas Sygros Hospital, Athens, Greece
Luc THOMAS
Lyon 1 University, Dermatology Center Hospitalier Lyon Sud, and Lyons Cancer Research Center INSERM U1052 - CNRS UMR5286 - Lyon France
Danica TIODOROVIC
Clinic of Dermatovenerolgy, Clinical Center of Nis, Medical Faculty, Nis, Serbia
Ave VAHLBERG
Vahlberg & Pild Ltd, Tallinn, Estonia
Zorica ZAFIROVIK
University Clinic of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, University “St. Cyril and Methodius”, Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia
Background:Dermoscopy is a widely used technique, recommended in clinical practice guidelines worldwide for the early diagnosis of skin cancers. Intra-European disparities are reported for early detection and prognosis of skin cancers, however, no information exists about regional variation in patterns of dermoscopy use across Europe. Objective: To evaluate the regional differences in patterns of dermoscopy use and training among European dermatologists. Materials & Methods:An online survey of European-registered dermatologists regarding dermoscopy training, practice and attitudes was established. Answers from Eastern (EE) versus Western European (WE) countries were compared and their correlation with their respective countries’ gross domestic product/capita (GDPc) and total and government health expenditure/capita (THEc and GHEc) was analysed. Results: We received 4,049 responses from 14 WE countries and 3,431 from 18 EE countries. A higher proportion of WE respondents reported dermoscopy use (98% vs. 77%, p<0.001) and training during residency (43% vs. 32%) or anytime (96.5% vs. 87.6%) (p<0.001) compared to EE respondents. The main obstacles in dermoscopy use were poor access to dermoscopy equipment in EE and a lack of confidence in one's skills in WE. GDPc, THEc and GHEc correlated with rate of dermoscopy use and dermoscopy training during residency (Spearman rho: 0.5-0.7, p<0.05), and inversely with availability of dermoscopy equipment. Conclusion: The rates and patterns of dermoscopy use vary significantly between Western and Eastern Europe, on a background of economic inequality. Regionally adapted interventions to increase access to dermoscopy equipment and training might enhance the use of this technique towards improving the early detection of skin cancers.