Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer among adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional survey
Background. Lung cancer remains the number one cause of cancer mortality estimated at 1.8 million deaths. There are limited studies in resource poor countries regarding knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer. Objective. This study aimed to describe the knowledge, attitudes and prac...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Public Health in Africa |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/445 |
| _version_ | 1827160697990021120 |
|---|---|
| author | S. B. Dlamini B. Sartorius T. G. Ginindza |
| author_facet | S. B. Dlamini B. Sartorius T. G. Ginindza |
| author_sort | S. B. Dlamini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Lung cancer remains the number one cause of cancer mortality estimated at 1.8 million deaths. There are limited studies in resource poor countries regarding knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer.
Objective. This study aimed to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding lung cancer in selected communities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods. An observational, analytic cross-sectional study design was conducted using a standardized questionnaire. A stratified random cluster sampling method was applied across five communities. A regression model was developed to identify the predictors of the level of knowledge.
Results. About 59.9% (95% CI 52.0 - 67.3) of the participants reported to have heard of lung cancer. The mean knowledge score was 41.8% (95% CI 35.7 - 47.9%). Coughing blood was the most recognized symptom (61.0%, 95% CI 52.1 - 69.1). About 17% (95% CI 14.7 - 21.5) of participants reported to be smokers. Many respondents reported that they would go to a health centre or clinic in case they were coughing blood (72.4%, 95% CI 93.9 - 79.5). Less than 10% (95% CI 3.9 - 8.1) of participants was screened for lung cancer at the time. Gender, history of working in the chemicals industry, screening for lung cancer, and time taken to seek health care when sick were significant predictors of lung cancer knowledge.
Conclusions. Public health interventions should be explored to increase the levels of community awareness regarding lung cancer, particularly focusing on the importance of screening, early diagnosis and treatment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:31:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8c8b6c8e1fa745d78ad513e0d56c0df4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2038-9922 2038-9930 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-21T00:17:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Public Health in Africa |
| spelling | doaj.art-8c8b6c8e1fa745d78ad513e0d56c0df42024-08-03T09:14:20ZengAOSISJournal of Public Health in Africa2038-99222038-99302022-09-0113310.4081/jphia.2022.2111366Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer among adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional surveyS. B. Dlamini0B. Sartorius1T. G. Ginindza2Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban; Cancer & Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanDiscipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, SeattleDiscipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban; Cancer & Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanBackground. Lung cancer remains the number one cause of cancer mortality estimated at 1.8 million deaths. There are limited studies in resource poor countries regarding knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer. Objective. This study aimed to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding lung cancer in selected communities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods. An observational, analytic cross-sectional study design was conducted using a standardized questionnaire. A stratified random cluster sampling method was applied across five communities. A regression model was developed to identify the predictors of the level of knowledge. Results. About 59.9% (95% CI 52.0 - 67.3) of the participants reported to have heard of lung cancer. The mean knowledge score was 41.8% (95% CI 35.7 - 47.9%). Coughing blood was the most recognized symptom (61.0%, 95% CI 52.1 - 69.1). About 17% (95% CI 14.7 - 21.5) of participants reported to be smokers. Many respondents reported that they would go to a health centre or clinic in case they were coughing blood (72.4%, 95% CI 93.9 - 79.5). Less than 10% (95% CI 3.9 - 8.1) of participants was screened for lung cancer at the time. Gender, history of working in the chemicals industry, screening for lung cancer, and time taken to seek health care when sick were significant predictors of lung cancer knowledge. Conclusions. Public health interventions should be explored to increase the levels of community awareness regarding lung cancer, particularly focusing on the importance of screening, early diagnosis and treatment.https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/445lung cancercommunity awarenessscreeningprevention |
| spellingShingle | S. B. Dlamini B. Sartorius T. G. Ginindza Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer among adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional survey Journal of Public Health in Africa lung cancer community awareness screening prevention |
| title | Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer among adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_full | Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer among adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer among adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer among adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_short | Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards lung cancer among adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_sort | knowledge attitudes and practices towards lung cancer among adults in kwazulu natal south africa a cross sectional survey |
| topic | lung cancer community awareness screening prevention |
| url | https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/445 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sbdlamini knowledgeattitudesandpracticestowardslungcanceramongadultsinkwazulunatalsouthafricaacrosssectionalsurvey AT bsartorius knowledgeattitudesandpracticestowardslungcanceramongadultsinkwazulunatalsouthafricaacrosssectionalsurvey AT tgginindza knowledgeattitudesandpracticestowardslungcanceramongadultsinkwazulunatalsouthafricaacrosssectionalsurvey |