|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Skin Cancer Information Targeting Senior Citizens
Now on NIH Senior Health Site
NIHSeniorHealth.gov is based on the latest research
on aging
 May 31, 2007 - Senior citizens and a few baby
boomers are about the only Americans who can remember when deep tans
were thought to be beautiful and healthy. Back then, it was not widely
recognized that hours spent sunbathing could increase the risk for skin
cancer. It was not until the early 1980s that public health experts
began to advise against tanning as one important way to reduce the risk
of skin cancer.
Older Americans concerned about this condition can
learn more about it by visiting
NIHSeniorHealth.gov, a website developed by the National Institutes
of Health with the needs of older people in mind.
Skin cancer is the latest of NIHSeniorHealths 32
health topics of interest to older adults. The new Web feature defines
skin cancer, covers the causes and risks, as well as symptoms, screening
and diagnosis. It also explains treatments and the latest research on
skin cancer. Online quizzes help reinforce the information presented as
Web users explore pages within the skin cancer topic area.
Skin cancer can manifest itself many years after
an initial tan or burn, says John E. Niederhuber, M.D., director of the
National Cancer Institute (NCI), a component of NIH. Therefore, it is
important for older people to be aware of the risks. NCI developed the
content for the new skin cancer section of the
NIHSeniorHealth website.
One of the fastest growing age groups using the
Internet, older Americans increasingly turn to the World Wide Web for
health information. In fact, 68 percent of wired seniors surf for health
and medical information when they go online, according to NIH.
NIHSeniorHealth is based on the latest research on cognition and
aging. It features short, easy-to-read segments of information that can
be accessed in a variety of formats, including various large-print type
sizes, open-captioned videos and an audio version. The site also links
to
MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicines premier, more
detailed site for consumer health information.
| |
About Skin Cancer |
|
| |
Skin cancer is the most common form of
cancer in the United States. The two most common types
are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. They
usually form on the head, face, neck, hands and arms.
Another type of skin cancer,
melanoma, is more dangerous but less common.
Anyone can get skin cancer, but it is
more common in people who
>> Spend a lot of time in the
sun or have been sunburned
>>Have light-colored skin, hair and eyes
>> Have a family member with skin cancer
>> Are over age 50
Click to more at MedlinePlus
|
|
The
NIHSeniorHealth website is a joint effort of the National Institute
on Aging (NIA) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) which are
components of the National Institutes of Health.
NIA leads the federal effort supporting and
conducting research on aging and the health and well-being of older
people. NLM, the world's largest library of the health sciences, creates
and sponsors Web-based health information resources for the public and
professionals. NCI, established under the National Cancer Institute Act
of 1937, is the federal government's principal agency for cancer
research and training.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) The
Nation's Medical Research Agency includes 27 Institutes and Centers
and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic,
clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the
causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For
more information about NIH and its programs, visit
www.nih.gov.
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
