Abstract
In the present study, we aimed to assess the level of awareness regarding CRC warning signs and risk factors among undergraduate students. A cross-sectional survey using standardized questionnaire developed by the Cancer Research Center in the UK was carried out in three different public universities in Jordan including Jordan University of Science and Technology, Yarmouk University, and AL al-Bayt University over a 5-month period. Volunteers were asked about their knowledge regarding CRC symptoms, risk factors, and their behaviors regarding seeking medical advice. Findings revealed that response rate was 80.1%. Vast majority of responders were female (70.9%) and 18.2% of them were studying medical-related specialties. Regarding CRC symptoms, 14.3% of responders experienced poor knowledge, 52.9% have fair knowledge, and 32.8% have good knowledge. Abdominal pain was the most recognized warning signs where 70.8% of responders could recall it. In addition, risk factors awareness was lower than warning signs awareness. About 36.1% of responders have poor knowledge, 47.4% had fair knowledge, and 16.5% had good knowledge. Unhealthy diet was the most recognized risk factor where 32.3% of responders could recall it. Moreover, females were more aware regarding CRC symptoms. Similar findings were obtained for participants who were aged 20 years or more and for those who had previous experience of cancer. Students who were studying medical-related specialties were more aware of both CRC symptoms and risk factors than those who studying other specialties. Furthermore, regarding time to seek medical attention we found that 60.6% of volunteers would seek medical advice within 1 week of noticing CRC symptoms and 12% would seek it within 2 weeks. The mean duration for seeking medical advice was found to be 1.9 weeks. University students’ awareness level of CRC is poor, and therefore, extended attention should be attempted to enhance the awareness of CRC via continuous education programs, lectures, or campaigns to encourage the early detection CRC.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al-Azri M, Al-Hamedi I, Al-Awisi H, Al-Hinai M, Davidson R (2015) Public awareness of warning signs and symptoms of cancer in Oman: a community-based survey of adults. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 16(7):2731–2737
Al-Azri M, Al-Rasbi K, Al-Hinai M, Davidson R, Al-Maniri A (2014) Awareness of risk factors for cancer among Omani adults—a community based study. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 15(13):5401–5406
Al-Tarawneh M, Khatib S, Arqub K (2010) Cancer incidence in Jordan, 1996-2005. East Mediterr Health J 16(8):837–845
Al-Tassan N, Chmiel NH, Maynard J, Fleming N, Livingston AL, Williams GT, Hodges AK et al (2002) Inherited variants of MYH associated with somatic G:C-- > T:a mutations in colorectal tumors. Nat Genet 30(2):227–232. doi:10.1038/ng828
Andersen BL, Cacioppo JT (1995) Delay in seeking a cancer diagnosis: delay stages and psychophysiological comparison processes. Br J Soc Psychol 34(Pt 1):33–52
Chubb D, Broderick P, Frampton M, Kinnersley B, Sherborne A, Penegar S, Lloyd A, Ma YP, Dobbins SE, Houlston RS (2015) Genetic diagnosis of high-penetrance susceptibility for colorectal cancer (CRC) is achievable for a high proportion of familial CRC by exome sequencing. J Clin Oncol 33(5):426–432. doi:10.1200/JCO.2014.56.5689
CLSI (2008b) Reference method for broth dilution antifungal susceptibility testing of filamentous fungi; approved standard CLSI document M38-A2. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, Wayne doi: 91100957 [pii]
De Nooijer J, Lechner L, De Vries H (2001) Help-seeking behaviour for cancer symptoms: perceptions of patients and general practitioners. Psychooncology 10(6):469–478
Dent OF, Goulston KJ, Tennant CC, Langeluddecke P, Mant A, Chapuis PH, Ward M, Bokey EL (1990) Rectal bleeding. Patient delay in presentation. Dis Colon rectum 33(10):851–857
DiPiro JT, Talbert RL, Yee GC, Matzke GR, Wells BG, Posey LM (2011) Coloracta Cancer. In: Davis LE, Sun W, Medina PJ (eds) Pharmacotherapy: a pathophysiologic approach. McGraw-Hill Education, USA
Forbes LJ, Simon AE, Warburton F, Boniface D, Brain KE, Dessaix A, Donnelly C et al (2013) Differences in cancer awareness and beliefs between Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the UK (the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership): do they contribute to differences in cancer survival? Br J Cancer 108(2):292–300. doi:10.1038/bjc.2012.542
Gimeno-Garcia AZ, Quintero E, Nicolas-Perez D, Jimenez-Sosa A (2011) Public awareness of colorectal cancer and screening in a Spanish population. Public Health 125(9):609–615. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2011.03.014
Hawkins NA, Berkowitz Z, Peipins LA (2010) What does the public know about preventing cancer? Results from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Health Educ Behav 37(4):490–503. doi:10.1177/1090198106296770
Hubbard G, Macmillan I, Canny A, Forbat L, Neal RD, O’Carroll RE, Haw S, Kyle RG (2014) Cancer symptom awareness and barriers to medical help seeking in Scottish adolescents: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 14:1117. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-1117
Hvidberg L, Pedersen AF, Wulff CN, Vedsted P (2014) Cancer awareness and socio-economic position: results from a population-based study in Denmark. BMC Cancer 14:581. doi:10.1186/1471-2407-14-581
Keighley MR, O’Morain C, Giacosa A, Ashorn M, Burroughs A, Crespi M, Delvaux M et al (2004) Public awareness of risk factors and screening for colorectal cancer in Europe. Eur J Cancer Prev 13(4):257–262
Kyle RG, Forbat L, Hubbard G (2012) Cancer awareness among adolescents in Britain: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 12:580. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-580
McCaffery K, Wardle J, Waller J (2003) Knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions in relation to the early detection of colorectal cancer in the United Kingdom. Prev Med 36(5):525–535
McVeigh TP, Lowery AJ, Waldron RM, Mahmood A, Barry K (2013) Assessing awareness of colorectal cancer symptoms and screening in a peripheral colorectal surgical unit: a survey based study. BMC Surg 13:20. doi:10.1186/1471-2482-13-20
Mitchell E, Macdonald S, Campbell NC, Weller D, Macleod U (2008) Influences on pre-hospital delay in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer: a systematic review. Br J Cancer 98(1):60–70. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6604096
Ng SC, Wong SH (2013) Colorectal cancer screening in Asia. Br Med Bull 105:29–42. doi:10.1093/bmb/lds040
Pande R, Leung E, McCullough P, Smith S, Harmston C (2014) Impact of the United Kingdom national bowel cancer awareness campaign on colorectal services. Dis Colon rectum 57(1):70–75. doi:10.1097/01.dcr.0000437689.19579.97
Power E, Miles A, von Wagner C, Robb K, Wardle J (2009) Uptake of colorectal cancer screening: system, provider and individual factors and strategies to improve participation. Future Oncol 5(9):1371–1388. doi:10.2217/fon.09.134
Power E, Simon A, Juszczyk D, Hiom S, Wardle J (2011) Assessing awareness of colorectal cancer symptoms: measure development and results from a population survey in the UK. BMC Cancer 11:366. doi:10.1186/1471-2407-11-366
Power E, Wardle J (2015) Change in public awareness of symptoms and perceived barriers to seeing a doctor following be clear on cancer campaigns in England. Br J Cancer 112(Suppl 1):S22–S26. doi:10.1038/bjc.2015.32
Quaife SL, Forbes LJ, Ramirez AJ, Brain KE, Donnelly C, Simon AE, Wardle J (2014) Recognition of cancer warning signs and anticipated delay in help-seeking in a population sample of adults in the UK. Br J Cancer 110(1):12–18. doi:10.1038/bjc.2013.684
Redeker C, Wardle J, Wilder D, Hiom S, Miles A (2009) The launch of Cancer Research UK’s ‘reduce the risk’ campaign: baseline measurements of public awareness of cancer risk factors in 2004. Eur J Cancer 45(5):827–836. doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2008.10.018
Robb K, Stubbings S, Ramirez A, Macleod U, Austoker J, Waller J, Hiom S, Wardle J (2009) Public awareness of cancer in Britain: a population-based survey of adults. Br J Cancer 101(Suppl 2):S18–S23. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605386
Sanderson SC, Waller J, Jarvis MJ, Humphries SE, Wardle J (2009) Awareness of lifestyle risk factors for cancer and heart disease among adults in the UK. Patient Educ Couns 74(2):221–227. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2008.08.003
Sharma VK, Vasudeva R, Howden CW (2000) Colorectal cancer screening and surveillance practices by primary care physicians: results of a national survey. Am J Gastroenterol 95(6):1551–1556. doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2000.02093.x
Simon AE, Waller J, Robb K, Wardle J (2010) Patient delay in presentation of possible cancer symptoms: the contribution of knowledge and attitudes in a population sample from the United Kingdom. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 19(9):2272–2277. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0219
Stubbings S, Robb K, Waller J, Ramirez A, Austoker J, Macleod U, Hiom S, Wardle J (2009) Development of a measurement tool to assess public awareness of cancer. Br J Cancer 101(Suppl 2):S13–S17. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605385
Su TT, Goh JY, Tan J, Muhaimah AR, Pigeneswaren Y, Khairun NS, Normazidah AW, Tharisini DK, Majid HA (2013) Level of colorectal cancer awareness: a cross sectional exploratory study among multi-ethnic rural population in Malaysia. BMC Cancer 13:376. doi:10.1186/1471-2407-13-376
Wauters H, Van Casteren V, Buntinx F (2000) Rectal bleeding and colorectal cancer in general practice: diagnostic study. BMJ 321(7267):998–999
Yardley C, Glover C, Allen-Mersh TG (2000) Demographic factors associated with knowledge of colorectal cancer symptoms in a UK population-based survey. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 82(3):205–209
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to the Deanship of Scientific Research of the Jordan University of Science and Technology for the financial support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
The study protocol was approved by Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST).
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mhaidat, N.M., Al-husein, B.A., Alzoubi, K.H. et al. Knowledge and Awareness of Colorectal Cancer Early Warning Signs and Risk Factors among University Students in Jordan. J Canc Educ 33, 448–456 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-016-1142-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-016-1142-y