Currently submitted to: JMIR Dermatology
Date Submitted: Apr 16, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Apr 30, 2026 - Jun 25, 2026
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The Digital Color Gap in Online Melanoma Education: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Representation and Readability
ABSTRACT
This cross-sectional analysis of 20 high-ranking melanoma education websites and 50 Google Image results reveals a significant "digital color gap," characterized by only 25% (5/20) representation of darker skin tones and a persistent visual-textual mismatch for acral melanoma. Readability analysis showed that 80% (16/20) of resources exceeded the recommended 6th-grade reading level, and the first relevant image of melanoma in darker skin appeared at rank 28. These findings suggest that current online resources may hinder early self-recognition in patients with skin of color, necessitating more representative imagery and accessible language to mitigate diagnostic disparities.
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