UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Methods: A detailed telephone survey was conducted among 459 respondents. The survey assessed passive detection behavior, i.e. attentiveness to cancer symptoms, and appropriately timed medical help-seeking regarding 14 cancer symptoms. Knowledge of cancer symptoms and various other psychosocial determinants were also measured.

Results: Respondents reported adequate knowledge and passive detection behavior for merely half of the possible cancer symptoms, reflecting a low level of knowledge and attentiveness. Timely medical help-seeking behavior for urgent symptoms was low, whereas results indicated relatively high levels of adequate medical help-seeking for prolonged symptoms. Overall, women had higher knowledge levels, paid more attention to cancer symptoms and performed more timely help-seeking than men. Regression analyses demonstrated that female gender, awareness, personal engagement, knowledge of cancer symptoms, and perceived advantages were positively associated with performance of adequate passive detection behavior. Educational level and perceived susceptibility to cancer were negative correlates of timely medical help-seeking, whereas perceived advantages, self-efficacy expectations, and intention were positively associated with help-seeking behavior.

Conclusions: The potential consequences of patient delay in the early detection of cancer make its reduction an important objective for health promotion. The sub-optimal levels of knowledge and performance of early detection behaviors found in this study emphasize the need for educational efforts, with the purpose of improving early cancer detection as soon as possible.