Differences in cancer awareness and beliefs between Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the UK (the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership): do they contribute to differences in cancer survival?

Abstract

Background:There are wide international differences in 1-year cancer survival. The UK and Denmark perform poorly compared with other high-income countries with similar health care systems: Australia, Canada and Sweden have good cancer survival rates, Norway intermediate survival rates. The objective of this study was to examine the pattern of differences in cancer awareness and beliefs across these countries to identify where these might contribute to the pattern of survival.Methods:We carried out a population-based telephone interview survey of 19 079 men and women aged ⩾50 years in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the UK using the Awareness and Beliefs about Cancer measure.Results:Awareness that the risk of cancer increased with age was lower in the UK (14%), Canada (13%) and Australia (16%) but was higher in Denmark (25%), Norway (29%) and Sweden (38%). Symptom awareness was no lower in the UK and Denmark than other countries. Perceived barriers to symptomatic presentation were highest in the UK, in particular being worried about wasting the doctor's time (UK 34% Canada 21% Australia 14% Denmark 12% Norway 11% Sweden 9%).Conclusion:The UK had low awareness of age-related risk and the highest perceived barriers to symptomatic presentation, but symptom awareness in the UK did not differ from other countries. Denmark had higher awareness of age-related risk and few perceived barriers to symptomatic presentation. This suggests that other factors must be involved in explaining Denmark's poor survival rates. In the UK, interventions that address barriers to prompt presentation in primary care should be developed and evaluated.

Awareness of Risk Factors for Cancer among Omani adults- A Community Based Study

“…This is similar to findings in developed countries including UK, Canada, Australia and USA, where public awareness of the increased risk of cancer with increasing age was low (Breslow et al, 1997;Forbes et al, 2013). Indeed, age is the strongest risk factor for most adult cancers including breast, colon and prostate (Hewitt et al, 2003;Yancik, 2005;Yancik and Ries, 2004).…”

The Relationship Between Health Locus of Control, Depression, and Sociodemographic Factors and Amount of Time Breast Cancer Patients Wait Before Seeking Diagnosis and Treatment

“…Other authors have also found differences for attending at screenings between rural and urban settings (Stameni & Strnad 2011, Schueler et al 2008. Psychosocial determinants, such as attitudes towards health and disease and/or early detection of disease are related to the health behaviour of individuals and, in accordance with this, to attendance at screenings and early treatment (Forbes et al 2013). Norsa'adah et al showed that the main barriers were poor knowledge or awareness of breast cancer, fear of cancer consequences, other priorities, denial of disease and health care system weakness.…”

Patients’ preferences for GP consultation for perceived cancer risk in primary care: a discrete choice experiment

“…2,3 International comparison surveys indicate that respondents in the UK more often reported barriers to seeing their primary care doctor than in other countries with similar healthcare systems. 4 Therefore understanding barriers to consulting in primary care within the cancer context provides opportunities to improve earlier diagnosis of cancer. 2 (See Box 1).…”