Cancer Knowledge, Attitude and Protective Behaviour in High-School Students: A Cross-sectional Analytical Study in East Azerbaijan, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Providing and enhancing knowledge, attitude, delivering and conduction of evidence based information and beliefs about all aspects of cancer in adolescent life period are so important. Aim: The study aimed to evaluate and investigate the main information regarding knowledge, attitude and protective behaviour on high-school student of Tabriz City, East Azerbaijan, North West of Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was performed as a cross-sectional analytical research study, during the 2017 Sep-2018 June academic year, in randomly selected high-schools. Questionnaire was designed and implemented which included socio-demographic information and 65 questions with three answers from disagree, agree, completely agree, and each answer was given from 1 to 3 marks. Question were about the knowledge (n=20; 0-20 poor, 21-40 moderate, 41-60 good), attitude (n=20; 0-20 poor, 21-40 moderate, 41-60 good) and protective behaviour (n=25; Protective Behaviour: 0-25 poor, 26-50 moderate, 51-75 good) regarding cancer.The response options designed as Likert scales and each variable scored from worst to best status and the total scores as 0-40 (very poor), 41-80 (poor), 81-120 (moderate), 121-160 (good) and 161-195 (very good). Results: Overall 471 students participated in this survey, between 14-19 years with mean age of 16.79 years. The total mean score of knowledge, attitude and protective behaviour was 136.05 (±SD 3.24) which was considered as good. Total scores was significantly higher in better Socio-Demographic Status (SDS), students with moderate SDS had 3.85 times and students with good SDS had about 2 times higher total scores. Total scores were twice among16-17 year-old group than younger students (OR=1.97; 95% CI: 1.03-3.76, p=0.04). Conclusion: The results indicated better levels of knowledge, attitude and protective behaviour regarding cancer in high-school students. SDS had significantly impact on the total knowledge levels.