Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors: A Study of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Among Adults in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Colorectal cancer ranked the second cancers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, accounting for 10.4% of all newly diagnosed cancers in 2010. There are several risk factors affecting the incidence of colorectal cancer where some factors influence the risk more than others. Colorectal cancer is easily preventable through screening which can detect the disease in its early stages and improve survival rates. Aim: We aimed to determine the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of colorectal cancer and its risk factors among mall adult visitors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Across-sectional study was conducted in five randomly selected malls (120 from each mall were randomly recruited), using a modified validated questionnaire. Means, standard deviations, frequencies, percentages were calculated for the differences in the level of awareness among the study participants. Results: The response rate was 70% (55% were females and 45% were males). More than one-third of the participants identified cigarette smoking, family history of colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease as risk factors for the disease. In addition, the majority of responses reported that screening tools are useful in colorectal cancer prevention and control. Conclusion: Implementation of awareness programs is needed to establish a strong link between the public, health centers and educational institutions to increase the level of awareness of colorectal cancer