Evaluation of the Level of Knowledge of Oral Cancer Among High School Students

Abstract

The present study aims to determine the knowledge level of high school students regarding oral cancer. The present study included students from 20 high schools located in the city center of Kahramanmaras between 1 and 28 April 2015. The students were informed prior to the study and 2759 students who gave written consent were included in the study. The participants were administered a questionnaire that was prepared by the investigators. The questionnaire included 25 questions that were prepared using literature in order to establish the knowledge level of the students about oral cancer, and it was evaluated scoring one point to each question. There were 1711 (62.0 %) female students and 1048 (38.0 %) male students; the mean age was 16.01 ± 1.09 years. The knowledge score of the male students was 7.48 ± 5.15 and the knowledge score of the female students was 7.58 ± 4.96. The knowledge score of the female and male participants was similar (p = 0.605). Of the students, 2107 (76.4 %) stated that they heard the expression of oral cancer before compared to 652 (23.6 %) students stating they did not. The study found that high school students had insufficient levels of knowledge about oral cancer. There was a general lack of knowledge about oral cancer and the risks among these students.

Polish High School Students’ Knowledge about Cancer

“…Developing proper health habits in adolescence should lead to the maintenance of good health in adulthood. Some authors underlined that high school and undergraduate students have poor knowledge about cancer risk factors [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. The awareness of the risk factors gives the chance to avoid them and thus reduces the risk of cancer.…”

Yatılı Bölge Lisesi Kız Öğrencilerinin Kansere İlişkin Bilgileri ve Kanserden Korunma Davranışları

“…Keten ve ark. (2015), lise öğrencilerinin oral kanser hakkındaki bilgilerinin yeterli olmadığını ortaya koymuştur (21). Koç (2015), lisans öğrencilerinin %83,2'sinin serviks kanserinin erken belirtileri hakkında hiçbir fikrinin olmadığını; %87,0'ının kanser tedavisine erken tanı konmasının önemini bilmelerine rağmen serviks kanseri erken tanı yöntemlerini bilmediği belirlenmiştir (22).…”

“…Koç (2015), lisans öğrencilerinin %83,2'sinin serviks kanserinin erken belirtileri hakkında hiçbir fikrinin olmadığını; %87,0'ının kanser tedavisine erken tanı konmasının önemini bilmelerine rağmen serviks kanseri erken tanı yöntemlerini bilmediği belirlenmiştir (22). Gençler için bir kanser eğitimi programı geliştirmeden önce, mevcut bilgi düzeyini ve kansere karşı tutumlarını belirlemek, daha etkili bir eğitim programı geliştirmek için faydalı olacaktır ve kanser ile ilgili dikkat çekici noktaların öne çıkarılmasına katkı sağlayacaktır (3,6,7,9) (21). Gençlerin kansere neden olabilecek risk faktörlerine ilişkin bilgi düzeyinin yetersiz olması, kanserden korunma çabalarının yetersiz kalmasına neden olabilir.…”

Self-perceived health in dental students: a cross-sectional study

“…It is important to identify whether the students are applying their acquired knowledge to beneficial everyday behaviors, as well as how they perceive their own health. Determining the health behavior of healthcare students is important to strengthen their credibility as role models promoting health 6,7 . They are future healthcare professionals and will be able to provide better care for others when they engage in self-care and promote the highest level of their own well-being 8 .…”