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Adhikari A, Kashyap B, Acharya S, Sharma S, Gurung S, Yadav RK, Budhathoki P. Knowledge and practice regarding cancer screening in Nepal: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2024; 86:382-391. [PMID: 38222683 PMCID: PMC10783334 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000001529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer screening utilization can aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, the current scenario of the knowledge and practice regarding cancer screening remains unclear as the authors do not have sufficient studies. Hence, the authors conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the situation of cancer screening utilization and knowledge. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to identify all studies on knowledge and practice regarding cancer screening in the Nepalese population. Data extraction and analysis were done with SPSS and CMA-3. Results The authors identified a total of 5238 studies after database searching, and 19 studies were included in a narrative synthesis. Lack of awareness and knowledge was the major barrier in cervical, breast, and testicular cancer screening. In cervical cancer screening, the most common reason for screening was the advice of health personnel in 85% of respondents, and the barrier was lack of awareness in 49.33% of participants. Conclusion The knowledge and practice of cancer screening is lacking in Nepal, as shown by our review. More educational and awareness programs, easy access to screening services, and elimination of sociocultural barriers are necessary to increase the utilization of screening services.
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Elbarazi I, Aziz F, Ahmed LA, Abdullahi AS, Al-Maskari F. Cancer Health Literacy and Its Correlated Factors in the United Arab Emirates-A Cross Sectional Study. Cancer Control 2024; 31:10732748241248032. [PMID: 38717601 PMCID: PMC11146015 DOI: 10.1177/10732748241248032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cancer Health literacy (CHL) is the health literacy related to cancer knowledge, prevention, treatment, screening, and access to services. It is an important indicator of people's adherence to screening and preventive measures, which helps to reduce the incidence and prevalence of cancer. The study assessed the CHL level and its association with relevant socio-demographic characteristics and sources of information among primary health care patients and visitors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). METHODS A cross-sectional study recruited survey participants who consented to respond to an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The assessment of CHL was done by using 15 questions. CHL level was measured as a median score and also categorized as poor/inadequate, moderate, good/excellent. Nominal logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between CHL categories and participants' sociodemographic characteristics and CHL sources of information. RESULTS Of the total 492 participants, 45.5% were young adults (30-39 years old), 32.9% were males, and 70.8% were UAE nationals. The overall median CHL score was 8.0 (IQR = 5.0-10). 33.7% of the participants had a poor/inadequate level of CHL, 49.6% had a moderate level and 16.7% had a good to excellent level of CHL. 76.9% of the participants knew the importance of early cancer screening tests, 72.7% acknowledged the metastatic capacity of cancer, and the protective factors of cancer, especially, in colon cancer (71.7%). A high proportion of participants received health information about cancer via the internet (50.7%), television (45.3%), social media (40.2%), and doctors (43.6%). Nationality other than UAE (aOR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.03-2.56, P = .038), having university education (aOR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.21-3.99, P = .010) compared to those with lower than high school, and having a family history of cancer (aOR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.33-4.41, P = .004) were positively associated with CHL. Older age (aOR = .36, 95% CI = .17-.75, P = .007 for 50-59 years, and aOR = .29, 95% CI = .11-.82, P = .019) for 60-69 years, higher-income (aOR = .57, 95% CI = .33-.99, P = .047 for 10,000-19,999 AED; aOR = .53, 95% CI = .33-.88, P = .013 for ≥20,000) compared with those earning <10,000 AED were negatively associated with CHL. CONCLUSIONS CHL among the resident UAE population was moderately adequate, therefore implementation of awareness campaigns seems to be warranted. Moreover, evaluation research targeting the CHL impact on cancer prevention practices and screening is also advocated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iffat Elbarazi
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Faisal Aziz
- Interdisciplinary Metabolic Medicine Trials Unit, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Luai A. Ahmed
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Aminu S. Abdullahi
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Fatima Al-Maskari
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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Tabak BM, Froner MB, Corrêa RS, Silva TC. The Intersection of Health Literacy and Public Health: A Machine Learning-Enhanced Bibliometric Investigation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6951. [PMID: 37887689 PMCID: PMC10606076 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20206951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, health literacy has garnered increasing attention alongside a variety of public health topics. This study aims to explore trends in this area through a bibliometric analysis. A Random Forest Model was utilized to identify keywords and other metadata that predict average citations in the field. To supplement this machine learning analysis, we have also implemented a bibliometric review of the corpus. Our findings reveal significant positive coefficients for the keywords "COVID-19" and "Male", underscoring the influence of the pandemic and potential gender-related factors in the literature. On the other hand, the keyword "Female" showed a negative coefficient, hinting at possible disparities that warrant further investigation. Additionally, evolving themes such as COVID-19, mental health, and social media were discovered. A significant change was observed in the main publishing journals, while the major contributing authors remained the same. The results hint at the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant association between gender-related keywords on citation likelihood, as well as changing publication strategies, despite the fact that the main researchers remain those who have been studying health literacy since its creation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Miranda Tabak
- School of Public Policy and Government, Getulio Vargas Foundation, SGAN 602 Módulos A,B,C, Asa Norte, Brasília 70830-020, Brazil
| | - Matheus B. Froner
- School of Public Policy and Government, Getulio Vargas Foundation, SGAN 602 Módulos A,B,C, Asa Norte, Brasília 70830-020, Brazil
| | - Rafael S. Corrêa
- School of Public Policy and Government, Getulio Vargas Foundation, SGAN 602 Módulos A,B,C, Asa Norte, Brasília 70830-020, Brazil
| | - Thiago C. Silva
- Graduate Programme of Economics, Catholic University of Brasília, Taguatinga 71966-700, Brazil
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Khanna D, Khanna AK. Research Gap in Health Literacy: Are We Overlooking a Possible Solution to Inadequate Cancer Screening in India? Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2023; 24:2551-2553. [PMID: 37642039 PMCID: PMC10685233 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2023.24.8.2551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
India has one of the highest oral cancer burdens and accounts for one out of every five cervical cancer incidences worldwide. Majority of these preventable cancers are diagnosed in advanced stages with poor prognosis and survival. World Health Organization supports health literacy as a measure for accomplishing sustainable development goals. Community trials have reported that health literacy-focused interventions improve cancer screening participation and adherence. In India health literacy research is unutilized for cancer screening. Majority of the research utilized proxy information using disease-specific knowledge, attitude, and socio-demographic characteristics for screening participation. Through this correspondence, we discuss the poor cancer screening coverage in India and the research gap in health literacy in Indian context. Without an understanding of the distribution of the components of health literacy and the development of context-specific interventions for improvement, it will be difficult for any technology or innovation to penetrate the community and increase screening coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Khanna
- Department of Preventive Oncology, Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Varanasi, India.
| | - Ajay Kumar Khanna
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
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He S, Li H, Cao M, Sun D, Yang F, Yan X, Zhang S, Xia C, Yu Y, Zhao L, Shi J, Li N, Yu XQ, Chen W, He J. Geographic, Demographic, and Socioeconomic Disparities and Factors Associated With Cancer Literacy in China: National Cross-sectional Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023; 9:e43541. [PMID: 36800218 PMCID: PMC9985002 DOI: 10.2196/43541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer literacy is associated with several health-related behaviors and outcomes. However, there is still a lack of nationwide surveys for cancer literacy in China. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate cancer literacy in China, explore disparities, and provide scientific evidence for policy makers. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted in mainland China in 2021 using the multistage probability proportional to the size sampling method. Both the reliability and validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. The awareness levels were adjusted by sampling weights and nonrepresentativeness weights to match the actual population distributions. The Rao-Scott adjusted chi-square test was applied to test geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic disparities. A generalized linear model was used to explore potential factors. RESULTS A total of 80,281 participants aged 15-74 years were finally enrolled from 21 provinces, with an overall response rate of 89.32%. The national rate of cancer literacy was 70.05% (95% CI 69.52%-70.58%). The rates were highest regarding knowledge of cancer management (74.96%, 95% CI 74.36%-75.56%) but were lowest regarding basic knowledge of cancer (66.77%, 95% CI 66.22%-67.33%). Cancer literacy was highest in East China (72.65%, 95% CI 71.82%-73.49%), Central China (71.73%, 95% CI 70.65%-72.81%), and North China (70.73%, 95% CI 68.68%-72.78%), followed by Northeast (65.38%, 95% CI 64.54%-66.22%) and South China (63.21%, 95% CI 61.84%-64.58%), whereas Southwest (59.00%, 95% CI 58.11%-59.89%) and Northwest China (57.09%, 95% CI 55.79%-58.38%) showed a need for improvement. Demographic and socioeconomic disparities were also observed. Urban dwellers, the Han ethnic group, and population with higher education level or household income were associated with prior knowledge. The questionnaire showed generally good internal and external reliability and validity. CONCLUSIONS It remains important for China to regularly monitor levels of cancer literacy, narrow disparities, and strengthen health education for dimensions with poor performance and for individuals with limited knowledge to move closer to the goal of Healthy China 2030.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyi He
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - He Li
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Maomao Cao
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Dianqin Sun
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xinxin Yan
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shaoli Zhang
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Changfa Xia
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yiwen Yu
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jufang Shi
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ni Li
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Qin Yu
- The Daffodil Centre - a joint venture with Cancer Council NSW, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Wanqing Chen
- Office of Cancer Screening, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jie He
- Thoracic Surgery Department, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Hasannejadasl H, Roumen C, Smit Y, Dekker A, Fijten R. Health Literacy and eHealth: Challenges and Strategies. JCO Clin Cancer Inform 2022; 6:e2200005. [DOI: 10.1200/cci.22.00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the impact of health literacy (HL) on patients' outcomes, limited health literacy is a major barrier to improve cancer care globally. HL refers to the degree in which an individual is able to acquire, process, and comprehend information in a way to be actively involved in their health decisions. Previous research found that almost half of the population in developed countries have difficulties in understanding health-related information. With the gradual shift toward the shared decision making process and digital transformation in oncology, the need for addressing low HL issues is crucial. Decision making in oncology is often accompanied by considerable consequences on patients' lives, which requires patients to understand complex information and be able to compare treatment methods by considering their own values. How health information is perceived by patients is influenced by various factors including patients' characteristics and the way information is presented to patients. Currently, identifying patients with low HL and simple data visualizations are the best practice to help patients and clinicians in dealing with limited health literacy. Furthermore, using eHealth, as well as involving HL mediators, supports patients to make sense of complex information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajar Hasannejadasl
- Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Cheryl Roumen
- Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Yolba Smit
- Department of Hematology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Andre Dekker
- Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Rianne Fijten
- Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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Diagnose earlier, live longer? The impact of cervical and breast cancer screening on life span. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270347. [PMID: 35857798 PMCID: PMC9299384 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer has become a leading cause of death and aroused the cancer scare. Breast and cervical cancer are two main health threats for women. In order to reduce mortality through early detection and early treatment, cancer screening has been widely recommended and applied for breast and cervical cancer detection and prevention. However, the benefit of cancer screening has been a controversial issue for the recent decades. The Chinese government has launched a free screening program on breast and cervical cancer for women since 2009. There is lack of strong data and sufficient information, however, to examine the effect of breast and cervical cancer screening. A Difference-in-Difference model estimated by Cox proportional hazard estimation was applied to evaluate the effects of breast and cervical cancer screening using data from Nown County Cancer Registry between the year 2009 and 2013. Based on the case study in a county of central China, this study found that the screening program reduced the risk of death, but found the lion’s share for the benefit has been mainly due to the cervical cancer screening rather breast cancer screening, which may be related to the difference between early detection screening and preventive screening. Our results suggest sufficient funding and better education of related cancer knowledge will be meaningful measures for the prevention and treatment of breast and cervical cancer.
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Rademaker C, Bhandary S, Harder H. Knowledge, awareness, attitudes and screening practices towards breast and cervical cancer among women in Nepal: a scoping review. J Public Health (Oxf) 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10389-021-01688-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Aim
Breast and cervical cancers have emerged as major global health challenges and disproportionately affect women in low- and middle-income countries, including Nepal. This scoping review aimed to map the knowledge, attitudes and screening practices for these cancers among Nepali women to improve cancer outcomes and reduce inequality.
Methods
Five electronic databases (CINAHL, Embase, Global Health, PsycINFO and PubMed), grey literature, and reference and citation lists were searched for articles published in English up to June 2021. Articles were screened against inclusion/exclusion criteria, and data from eligible studies were extracted. Results were summarised narratively.
Results
The search yielded 615 articles, 38 of which were included in this scoping review (27 cervical cancer, 10 breast cancer, 1 both cancers). Levels of knowledge regarding breast and cervical varied widely. The main knowledge gaps were misconceptions about symptoms and risk factors, and poor understanding of screening behaviours. Screening practices were mostly inadequate due to socio-cultural, geographical or financial barriers. Positive attitudes towards cervical screening were associated with higher education and increased knowledge of screening modalities. Higher levels of knowledge, (health) literacy and participation in awareness campaigns facilitated breast cancer screening.
Conclusion
Knowledge and screening practices for breast and cervical cancer among Nepali women were poor and highlight the need for awareness and education programmes. Future research should explore community health worker-led awareness and screening interventions for cervical cancer, and programmes to increase the practice of breast self-examination and clinical breast examinations to support early diagnosis of breast cancer.
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