Cancer Screening: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Healthcare Personnel

Background: It is crucial for medical personnel to be aware of cancer symptoms and engage in appropriate screening practices. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge of Iranian healthcare staff regarding cancer warning symptoms, their attitudes towards cancer risk factors, and their willingness to undertake cancer screening tests.Method: This cross-sectional study involved administering validated questionnaires to ۱۴۵ medical staff. In addition to descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were utilized to compare knowledge, attitudes, and performance of cancer screening tests. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between demographic and occupational variables and participants' knowledge and attitudes regarding cancer risk factors and screening practices.Results: The mean knowledge and attitude scores were ۷.۹۷ ± ۲.۰۱ and ۳۵.۴۱ ± ۴.۶۹, respectively. Among the ۱۲۵ female participants aged ۲۵-۵۷ years, only ۴۴% performed monthly breast self-examinations, ۲۲.۱% sought specialist physicians for breast cancer screening, and only ۲۰.۵۱% of female participants over the age of ۴۰ underwent mammography. Regarding cervical cancer screening, ۲۷.۲% had undergone annual Pap smear tests, and ۱۷.۶% referred to a specialist for annual pelvic examinations. Among staff older than ۴۵ years (۲۴ participants), only one had undertaken an occult blood test and colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening.Conclusion: Although most healthcare workers demonstrated awareness of cancer warning signs, they did not engage in regular preventive screening practices. Regular educational programs should be implemented to encourage healthcare personnel to perform routine cancer screening.

Keywords:

cancer , Knowledge , Attitude , Risk factors , Screening