Assessing knowledge level of cancer warning signs in a rural Chungju population

농촌지역 주민의 암 경고증상에 대한 지식수준 평가

Purpose : To assess knowledge levels of cancer warning signs, a descriptive study wad conducted in Chungju rural area. Materials and Methods : We conducted a population-based study of men women who were 30 years of age or older, living in a three myens of Chungju rural area. Of 8,026 residents in 3 Myens, 1,148 adults(30 years of age or older) were completed structured questionnaire survey from July 21, 1997 to July 26, 1997. 7 cancer warning signs were used to assess knowledge level of cancer warning signs. Results : Participants in this study were poorly informed about the cancer warning signs, and the 24.9% of participants and divided by two groups. The high level group was 19.3%, and the low 80.7%. In this initial univariate analysis, the following variables were significantly associated with knowledge levels of cancer warning signs: age, sex, education, living with parter, annual income, smoking status, hepatitis vaccination, perceived possibility of cancer, previous cancer-screening examinations. In multivariate logistic analysis, we found three variables, sex, education level, previous pap-smear test, are significantly associated with knowledge levels of cancer warning signs. The knowledge level was higher among women, people with higher education, and those who had previous pap-smear examination. Conclusion : This study demonstrates that cancer warning signs are not common knowledge among the rural public. It also indicates the need for cancer education to improve knowledge in the rural public and the develop education programmes targeted especially at the old, men, and those who had not cancer screening examination should be considered to plan.