A Review of Community Awareness for Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention in North and Central Asian Countries

Akanbi, Maxwell O; Rivera, Olga J. Santiago; Dutta, Anshuman; Pratiti, Rebecca

doi:10.7759/cureus.40540

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Al-Hajeili et al also discovered in Jeddah that only educational level and family history of CRC were significant predictors of awareness of CRC screening and gender was found to be a major predictor of knowledge levels [8]. According to the Akanbi et al study, North and Central Asian countries have inadequate knowledge of CRC symptoms and insufficient awareness of the availability of CRC screening [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Among the General Population in Northern Saudi Arabia

Abd El Mawgod,

Alanazi,

Alenezi

et al. 2024

Cureus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: One of the most prevalent types of cancer is colorectal cancer (CRC). Increased consumption of foods derived from animals, smoking, and family history are all regarded as CRC risk factors. A significant obstacle to the use of screening programs for CRC is community unawareness. Objective: This study aimed to assess the awareness of symptoms, signs, and screening modalities of CRC among the adult population in Arar City, Northern Saudi Arabia. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among males and females living in Arar City who were 18 years of age or older. Results: More than half (56.6%; 233) of the participants correctly identified that the colon is the large intestine, 61.7% (254) identified that the rectum is the distal part of it, and nearly a fifth stated that the function of the colon is water reabsorption. The majority stated abdominal pain (78.2%; 322) and change in bowel habits (76%; 313) are symptoms of CRC, but less than 60% (240) reported nausea and vomiting. Concerning participants' risk factor awareness of CRC, smoking is most frequently cited, followed by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fatty food, family history, and colon polyps. Conclusion: Although not perfect, the current analysis demonstrates that there is accepted public awareness about CRC. We recommend the adoption of education initiatives via mass media and at regular religious events like Jumma to increase community awareness and knowledge.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Among the General Population in Northern Saudi Arabia

Abd El Mawgod,

Alanazi,

Alenezi

et al. 2024

Cureus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world [ 1 ]. In 2020, there were approximately 1.9 million new cases of CRC, which accounted for 935,000 deaths [ 2 ]. In Iran, CRC is the fourth most common cancer after stomach, prostate, and lung cancer among men, and among women, it ranks second after breast cancer [ 3 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although, from the point of view of patients, serum testing is better than stool testing, most patients also prefer to avoid colonoscopy, which is very uncomfortable [ 10 ]. The effectiveness of screening programs is measured by cancer grade, mortality, survival, and disease incidence (if screening leads to the detection of precancerous lesions, for example, adenomas in CRC), and other factors include acceptability of interventions, quality of life, and affordability is the whole plan [ 2 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and evaluation of a colon cancer mobile application

Sadeghi,

Salar,

Moghadam

et al. 2024

BMC Gastroenterol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer and the second cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Despite the infrastructure and the availability of organized screening programs, participation in their screening programs is less than the set goals. Considering the importance of informing the society about the prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer symptoms and the positive impact of mobile health technologies, the present research was conducted with the aim of designing and evaluating a colon cancer mobile application. Methods The present research was conducted in two phases: software design and evaluation. In the first phase, the software was prepared using the cascade method. First, all the educational content related to colorectal cancer was collected through an expert panel with the participation of 10 specialists. Then the software was evaluated with alpha and beta testing, and the initial version was approved by users in terms of simplicity and usability. In the second phase, a parallel clinical randomized trial study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of a colon cancer mobile application on the early detection of colorectal cancer. In this stage, 204 volunteers participated; inclusion criteria were age 18–85 years, owning a smartphone and the ability to read and write. Participants were randomized into control and intervention groups. The intervention group was educated with the colon cancer application for education about colorectal cancer, and the control group was educated with a pamphlet. After education, both groups were screened for colorectal cancer symptoms, and the results were compared. Results In the software evaluation phase, the application was used by 204 users. In this stage, 84 (41.2%) women and 120 (58.8%) men, with an average (Standard Deviation) age of 47.53 (13.68) participated. Participants were randomized in two groups, 103 people with an average (Standard Deviation) age of 47.62 (14.65) in intervention group and 101 people with an average (Standard Deviation) age of 47.44 (12.70) in control group. There were no significant differences between the demographic characteristics of age, gender, marriage, occupation, instruction level, digestive disease history, cancer history, cancer risk factors, and family history of cancer between the two groups (P > 0.05). The Mann-Whitney U test indicated that there is a significant difference between the two groups of participants in self-assessment, willingness to do the screening, and the results of the assessment of colorectal cancer (P < 0.05). Conclusion The results of the research indicated the positive impact of the Colon Cancer Application on the abilities of the users of self-assessment of colon cancer. Therefore, based on the findings, it can be concluded that the use of the colon cancer mobile application is effective for colon cancer prevention and self-care. Trial registration This study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir) on 13/2/2024, with the IRCT ID: IRCT20210131050189N9.

show abstract

Overcoming geographical and socioeconomic limitations in colorectal cancer screening

Rozani,

Lykoudis

2024

World J Gastrointest Oncol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite colorectal cancer’s (CRC) high global incidence, residents of low- and middle- income countries, as well as low-income minorities in advanced economies have low screening rates. Observational studies demonstrate that in these groups higher incidence of CRC is observed, yet screening rates remain low for consistent reasons. Low income, low educational background, and lack of awareness in combination with inadequate social security of certain population groups impede access and compliance rates to CRC screening. On the other hand, despite the global availability of multiple screening approaches (colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, faecal occult blood test, faecal immunochemical test, computed tomography-colonography, etc. ) with proven diagnostic validity, many low-income countries still lack established screening programs. The absence of screening guidelines in these countries along with the heterogeneity of guidelines in the rest of the world, demonstrate the need for global measures to tackle this issue comprehensively. An essential step forward is to develop a global approach that will link specific elements of screening with the incidence and available resources in each country, to ensure the achievement of at least a minimum screening program in low-income countries. Utilizing cheaper, cost-effective techniques, which can be carried out by less specialized healthcare providers, might not be equivalent to endoscopy for CRC screening but seems more realistic for areas with fewer resources. Awareness has been highlighted as the most pivotal element for the effective implementation of any screening program concerning CRC. Moreover, multiple studies have demonstrated that outreach strategies and community-based educational programs are associated with encouraging outcomes, yet a centrally coordinated expansion of these programs could provide more consistent results. Additionally, patient navigator programs, wherever implemented, have increased CRC screening and improved follow-up. Therefore, global coordination and patient education seem to be the main areas on which policy making needs to focus.

show abstract

A Review of Community Awareness for Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention in North and Central Asian Countries

Cited by 3 publications

References 33 publications

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Among the General Population in Northern Saudi Arabia

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Among the General Population in Northern Saudi Arabia

Design and evaluation of a colon cancer mobile application

Overcoming geographical and socioeconomic limitations in colorectal cancer screening

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About