Abstract:
Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer among men and the second among women worldwide. However, the public awareness regarding colorectal cancer is generally low.
Objective: The current study aimed to assess the awareness regarding colorectal cancer risk factors, symptoms, and its predictors among colorectal cancer screening-eligible population.
Design: A cross-sectional study design was employed. Setting: Across six primary health centers in Qatar Participants: Individuals (n=448), aged 50-74 years, attending at the main waiting areas of the selected health centers and are either Arabic or English speakers.
Data collection and analysis: Participants were interviewed using a modified version of the Cancer Awareness Measures (CAM) tool - Cancer Research UK. A non-probability sampling technique was applied to recruit participants. Data was analyzed using the SPSS version 22. Descriptive and analytic statistics were applied when appropriate. Multivariate linear regression was applied.
Results: A total of 448 clients have participated in the study (response rate 87%). The mean age of the participants was 58.48 years (SD=6.37 years). The participants’ mean awareness score (%) regarding colorectal cancer symptoms, risk factors, and overall were 40.3%, 49.3%, and 45.2% respectively. A multivariate linear regression analysis identified that being a female, a non-Qatari Arab, and having a formal education were independent predictors of higher bowel cancer awareness.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study has shown a low awareness regarding the symptoms and risk factors of colorectal cancer as well as the related national screening program in Qatar. Such results underline the importance of tailoring future educational campaigns that are relevant, specific, and appealing to such cohort, especially the nationals.
