Bridging the gap in skin cancer research for Australians with skin of colour

Australian skin cancer registries need to sensitively capture data on race and ethnicity to improve skin cancer outcomes for people with skin of colour

Race and ethnicity are terms often used interchangeably that describe two social constructs. Race can be defined as a classification of groups of people based on distinct physical features, whereas ethnicity can be defined as a group of people with similar national, cultural and ancestral origin.1 Skin of colour is a phrase that has been commonly used for over a decade in the United States and elsewhere to describe diverse populations with skin that is darker than skin of European ancestry.2 People with Southeast Asian, Arabian, African and Indigenous Australian ethnicity are some examples of populations included in this group.