We have located links that may give you full text access.
Awareness of head and neck cancer - a multicentre survey among young respondents in Poland.
International Dental Journal 2018 May 29
PURPOSE: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease, which results in suboptimal treatment outcomes, and leads to aesthetic and functional side-effects. Many risky behaviours associated with this type of cancer start at a young age. The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of HNC awareness in the young population in Poland.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous online survey on HNC was conducted among 1903 people between the ages of 18 and 35 years. Closed-ended questions concerned HNC risk factors, symptoms and prognosis.
RESULTS: 85.1% of respondents were familiar with HNC. The main source of information was the Internet (57.3%); 78.2% of participants associated HNC occurrence with smoking, 43.4% with alcohol consumption and 37.2% with the human papillomavirus infection. The main risk factors mentioned by students of non-medical educational institutions included smoking, stress and excessive sunbathing. A quarter of respondents (37.7%, if medical students are excluded) were unaware of any early symptoms of HNC. The symptoms mentioned most frequently included chronic hoarseness (55.3%), a lump in the neck (51.8%) and chronic sore throat (51.4%). Over three-quarters of medical students and half of the remaining respondents connected early diagnosis with a better chance of being cured; 4.6% of medical students and 9.6% of students of other educational institutions would seek medical advice only when symptoms made everyday functioning impossible.
CONCLUSIONS: The level of HNC cancer awareness in the young population is alarmingly low. A large number of non-medical students are unaware of risk factors and early symptoms. Educational campaigns aimed at effective prophylaxis, earlier diagnosis and treatment of HNC are needed.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous online survey on HNC was conducted among 1903 people between the ages of 18 and 35 years. Closed-ended questions concerned HNC risk factors, symptoms and prognosis.
RESULTS: 85.1% of respondents were familiar with HNC. The main source of information was the Internet (57.3%); 78.2% of participants associated HNC occurrence with smoking, 43.4% with alcohol consumption and 37.2% with the human papillomavirus infection. The main risk factors mentioned by students of non-medical educational institutions included smoking, stress and excessive sunbathing. A quarter of respondents (37.7%, if medical students are excluded) were unaware of any early symptoms of HNC. The symptoms mentioned most frequently included chronic hoarseness (55.3%), a lump in the neck (51.8%) and chronic sore throat (51.4%). Over three-quarters of medical students and half of the remaining respondents connected early diagnosis with a better chance of being cured; 4.6% of medical students and 9.6% of students of other educational institutions would seek medical advice only when symptoms made everyday functioning impossible.
CONCLUSIONS: The level of HNC cancer awareness in the young population is alarmingly low. A large number of non-medical students are unaware of risk factors and early symptoms. Educational campaigns aimed at effective prophylaxis, earlier diagnosis and treatment of HNC are needed.
Full text links
Related Resources
Trending Papers
Challenges in Septic Shock: From New Hemodynamics to Blood Purification Therapies.Journal of Personalized Medicine 2024 Februrary 4
Molecular Targets of Novel Therapeutics for Diabetic Kidney Disease: A New Era of Nephroprotection.International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2024 April 4
Perioperative echocardiographic strain analysis: what anesthesiologists should know.Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia 2024 April 11
The 'Ten Commandments' for the 2023 European Society of Cardiology guidelines for the management of endocarditis.European Heart Journal 2024 April 18
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Your Privacy Choices
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app