Abstract 4385
Background
For cancer prevention and early diagnostics oncological awareness of the ordinary people is crucial. The knowledge of the problem is extremely important in young population. The aim of the study was to assess the basic oncological knowledge of high school students.
Methods
The study was conducted among high school students in Olsztyn in Poland between April 2017 and April 2018. It was a part of a health promotion program focused on oncological education for high school students in Warmia and Mazury District. The examination was carried out at the beginning of lectures conducted by medical students. The respondents filled in a questionnaire especially prepared for this study. Participation in the study was voluntary and anonymous. The chi-square test was used to compare the subgroups. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Statistical analysis was done using STATISTICA software 13.1 (Statsoft, Poland).
Results
The study was done on 227 students (age 17-18 years) from 5 high schools in Olsztyn. There were 125 female and 101 male (one unknown). Almost 80% of responders could correctly defined cancer disease. 153 students (67%) believed genetic predispositions to be the greatest factor affecting cancer morbidity. At the same time, 183 responders (81%) claimed that people have an impact on cancer development. But only 19% students indicated smoking as an important cancerogenous factor and none alcohol. Diet and physical activity influence on cancer prevalence were known only by 5 and 2 students, respectively. Over half of students (58%) thought they lead a healthy lifestyle, but almost 1/3 respondents smoke cigarettes. All students except eight (97%) believed that early detected cancer can be successfully treated. There was no difference depending on sex and place of residence in all questions.
Conclusions
The impact of genetic predispositions in neoplastic diseases seems to be overestimated by high school students. Students knew that lifestyle has an impact on cancer disease, but they did not associate smoking, alcohol, diet, physical activity with a healthy lifestyle. There is a need for more education about cancer and its’ prophylactic among high school students in Poland.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
3073 - 1 patient 3 different advance Ca nurse’s roles: symptom management&continuum care through a joint approach in a clinical case
Presenter: Catarina Almeida
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4527 - Identification of malnutrition risk factors in patients with cancer in the first nursing visit
Presenter: Amaia Valverde
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2904 - Engaging Cancer Survivors, Healthcare Providers and Advocates in The Development of a Colorectal Cancer Survivorship Information Resource: A Participatory Action Research Study
Presenter: Amanda Drury
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3435 - Medical nurses’ experiences of the care-needs of adult patients with a primary brain tumour
Presenter: Jamila Mohammed
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
857 - Feasibility and acceptability of a mHealth intervention to increase colonoscopy uptake among Chinese first-degree relatives: a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial
Presenter: Yang Bai
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
1087 - Cancer patient participation and compliance in microbiome sample collection: an oncology research nurse’s experience
Presenter: Julie Malo
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2783 - Implementing Digital Individual Care plans for Patients with Head and Neck cancer- Challenges and opportunities
Presenter: Helena Ullgren
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
1152 - The Effect of the Short-term and Long-term Compassion Fatigue Resiliency Program on the Quality of Life, Perceived Stress and Psychological Resilience of Oncology-Hematology Nurses
Presenter: Tugba Pehlivan
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
1172 - Competing risk analyses of overall survival and cancer-specific survival in patients with orbital rhabdomyosarcoma after surgery: a large cohort study
Presenter: Yu Zhang
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5949 - Communication of genetic information to family members in hereditary cancers and healthcare providers’ role
Presenter: Carla Pedrazzani
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract