Acceptability and Feasibility of a Trial Testing Allocation to Sunscreen and a Smartphone App for Sun Protection: Discontinued Randomized Controlled Trial

Evaluating mobile apps for sun protection: content analysis and user preferences in a two-part study

Background

Sunburn and intermittent sun exposure elevate melanoma skin cancer risk. Sun protection behaviours, including limiting sun exposure, seeking shade, wearing protective gear, and using sunscreen, help mitigate excessive sun exposure. Smartphone apps present a promising platform to enhance these behaviours.

Objective

Part 1 aimed to analyse and evaluate the content of mobile apps that encourage sun protection behaviours, focusing on features, and behaviour change techniques (BCTs). Part 2 explored user preferences and usability post-initial use and two weeks later.

Results

Part 1 identified 1294 apps; after applying exclusion criteria, 87 apps were downloaded, with 48 included for analysis. The apps presented opportunities for enhancement in their theoretical and evidence basis, and visualisations use (e.g. UV-index). The apps mapped across a total of 12 BCTs (M = 1.71, SD = 1.07; range = 0-5). The most frequently identified BCTs were 'instruction on how to perform behaviour' (65%), 'information about health consequences' (29%), and 'prompts/cues' (27%). In Part 2, participants favoured features supporting knowledge and ease of use. Participants expressed a preference for apps that are free of paid features, advertisements, and external purchases. Tailored advice (e.g. location, skin type) was deemed crucial, particularly for initial exposure. Proactive features integrating behavioural, personal, and contextual information for adaptive and just-in-time sun protection advice were seen as essential for sustaining engagement.

Conclusions

Sun protection apps emphasizing knowledge, ease of use, tailored advice, and proactive features are likely to encourage sustained engagement. Suggestions for optimising current and future sun protection apps are provided.

Role of ferritin in pathogenesis of rosacea and its value in efficacy of 595 nm pulsed dye laser in treatment of different variants of rosacea: a clinical and immunohistochemical study

BACKGROUND

Current rosacea treatment focused on symptom suppression to improve patient's quality of life, prevent progression, and sustain remission. The progress of laser therapy has brought about a paradigm shift in the world of treating erythema and telangiectasia. We appraised role of ferritin in pathogenesis of rosacea and consider its value in efficacy of 595 nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) in treatment of rosacea.

MATERIALS/METHODS

20 patients had rosacea were treated with PDL; received 4 sessions, 4 weeks apart. They were assessed before and after treatment by rosacea grading scale and skin biopsies were taken to detect changes in ferritin expression before and after treatment.

RESULTS

Ferritin expression in lesional skin was positively expressed in all patients proportional to severity of rosacea that showed statistically significant reduction of ferritin expression after PDL. There was a statistically significant reduction in rosacea grading scale after PDL (p value = .005*); the highest efficacy was in phymatous then papulopustular and erythrotelangiectatic types.

CONCLUSIONS

The reduction of ferritin expression after PDL opens a new era for antioxidant agents to be added as a relevant approach for the therapy of rosacea via attenuation of oxidative stress.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma: a case report of picking the battles in geriatrics

Cutaneous angiosarcoma (CA) is a rare form of cancer with limited treatment options and has a very severe prognosis. In this case report, a differential diagnosis, ranging from infection and neoplasia to autoimmune disease, was attributed to recurrent cellulitis centered on a purple lesion. The continuous pursuit of a diagnosis and treatment plan had to be tailored in accordance with patient goals of care. Careful anticipation of disease progression and complications was required following the diagnosis of CA and involved careful transition from palliation to hospice care. Given the aggressive nature of CA, the radical treatment required, and poor prognosis, clinical providers face a difficult task of balancing diagnostic and therapeutic steps with patient goals of care.