Abstract
Tasmania has one of the highest bowel cancer incidence and death rates in the world. Public awareness of risk factors, symptoms, and early detection of bowel cancer is important for minimising the burden of disease. This study measured awareness levels of bowel cancer risk factors, symptoms and screening in Tasmania. An online survey of 3703 participants aged 18 years and older found that alcohol consumption, low physical activity levels, and having diabetes were the least known risk factors for bowel cancer. Over half of all participants were unaware the risk of bowel cancer increased with age, and 53 percent were not confident they would notice a bowel cancer symptom. Over a third of survey respondents did not know that screening commenced at the age of 50. The results indicate that a targeted campaign to increase bowel cancer awareness in Tasmania may help reduce the high rates of morbidity and mortality from the disease.
Highlights
Bowel Cancer Risk Factors, Bowel cancer is a global health issue
In Australia, lifestyle risk factors such as obesity [7], alcohol consumption [8], poor diet [9], and low physical activity levels [10] are prevalent, yet screening rates remain low [2], and the proportion of people diagnosed at a late stage remains high [11]
In order to better understand the high levels of bowel cancer incidence and death rates in this state, this study aims to measure public awareness levels of bowel cancer risk factors, screening and symptoms in Tasmania
Summary
Bowel Cancer Risk Factors, Bowel cancer ( known as colorectal cancer) is a global health issue. Australia is reported to have the eleventh highest age-standardised incidence rate in the world at 36.9 per 100,000 persons, and the fourth highest death rate from this disease [1]. Among the states and territories of Australia, the island state of Tasmania has the highest incidence rate of bowel cancer (148.9 per 100,000 people aged 50–74) and the fourth highest death rate from the disease (32.0 per 100,000 people aged 50–74) [2]. Almost half of all bowel cancer cases could be prevented through a healthy lifestyle [3], while ninety-nine percent of cases can be successfully treated if the disease is detected at its earliest stages [4]. The age-standardised incidence rate is slowly declining, the total number of new bowel cancer cases in Australia continues to climb [5]. In Australia, lifestyle risk factors such as obesity [7], alcohol consumption [8], poor diet [9], and low physical activity levels [10] are prevalent, yet screening rates remain low [2], and the proportion of people diagnosed at a late stage remains high [11]
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