Colorectal cancer awareness among healthcare workers: implications for early detection: Colorectal cancer awareness among healthcare workers

Hatice Kayıkçıoğlu

doi:10.5281/zenodo.8393747

Authors

Hatice Kayıkçıoğlu Private Opera Yaşam Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Antalya, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5350-0541

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8393747

Keywords:

Colorectal cancer, colorectal cancer awareness, healthcare workers, screening methods

Abstract

Objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant global health concern, and its early detection through regular screening plays a pivotal role in reducing its burden. However, awareness levels among healthcare workers regarding CRC and its screening methods remain underexplored. This study aimed to assess CRC awareness among healthcare workers, to analyze their demographic characteristics, understanding of CRC, and screening preferences, and to highlight the potential for tailored educational interventions.

Methods: The study employed a quantitative approach to analyze CRC awareness data. It included 108 participants who were randomly selected from hospital staff. The participants' demographic information, CRC understanding, and screening preferences were collected and analyzed. Data integrity checks were conducted, descriptive statistics were calculated, and relationships between categorical variables were examined using chi-square and parametric tests.

Results: The study included 108 participants, with an average age of 54.8±12.1 years. The sex distribution was 56 males (51.9%) and 52 females (48.1%). The participants’ demographic characteristics, including age ranges, marital status, education level, occupation, and health-related factors, were documented. The participant responses revealed varying levels of CRC awareness, symptom recognition, and screening method preferences. Significant disparities in awareness were observed based on sex, occupation, and age group. Physicians exhibited the highest levels of awareness, while drivers exhibited the lowest (p<0.05).

Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of healthcare workers as key agents in enhancing CRC awareness. While healthcare workers generally exhibit higher awareness levels than the general population, disparities remain based on demographic factors. The findings emphasize the need for targeted educational interventions to address these disparities and ensure comprehensive CRC knowledge dissemination among different occupational categories, sexes, and age groups. Ultimately, empowering healthcare workers as advocates and educators can contribute significantly to reducing the burden of CRC through early detection and effective prevention strategies.

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