General Cancer Knowledge Research Articles

Pharmacists as health educators and risk communicators in the early detection of prostate cancer

Background Community pharmacist involvement in health communication could assist in ameliorating health disparities in a number of areas. One such area is the early detection of prostate cancer in patients. Objectives The primary goal of this study was to explore the role of pharmacists as health educators and risk communicators in the prevention of prostate cancer mortality. The study objectives were to (1) describe community pharmacists' attitudes and beliefs related to serving as health educators and risk communicators on prostate cancer; and (2) assess community pharmacists' knowledge about prostate cancer. Methods A cross-sectional survey methodology was used to collect data from pharmacists present at the Florida Pharmacy Association 115th Annual Meeting. Eighty-nine pharmacists were administered a survey to measure their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs using a structured survey form. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze participants' responses. Results The mean age of participants was 45 years and they were mostly male, White (non-Hispanic) with B.S. Pharmacy as the highest degree. The face validity of the survey instrument was established through pilot test. Participants' views about offering prostate cancer education for patients were generally positive; however, participants' score on the general prostate cancer knowledge scale for patients was lower than expected for health care professionals, with approximately 45% of the participating pharmacists scoring less than 80% on the Odedina Prostate Cancer Screening Behavior Scale. Based on multiple regression analyses, participants' gender and disease state management status were found to be significantly associated with prostate cancer knowledge, whereas prostate cancer knowledge, technician staffing, and the type of pharmacy significantly predicted pharmacists' interest in prostate cancer education. Conclusions Although the community pharmacists in this study were willing to take on responsibilities in the prevention and detection of prostate cancer, their knowledge base may serve as an impediment to action. Future research may identify means by which to educate pharmacists and enable their involvement.

Why older adults make more immediate treatment decisions about cancer than younger adults.

Literature relevant to medical decision making was reviewed, and a model was outlined for testing. Two studies examined whether older adults make more immediate decisions than younger adults about treatments for prostate or breast cancer in authentic scenarios. Findings clearly showed that older adults were more likely to make immediate decisions than younger adults. The research is important because it not only demonstrates the consistency of this age-related effect across disease domains, gender, ethnic groups, and prevalent education levels but begins to investigate a model to explain the effect. Major reasons for the effect focus on treatment knowledge, interest and engagement, and cognitive resources. Treatment knowledge, general cancer knowledge, interest, and cognitive resources relate to different ways of processing treatment information and preferences for immediate versus delayed decision making. Adults with high knowledge of treatments on a reliable test tended to make immediate treatment decisions, which supports the knowledge explanation. Adults with more cognitive resources and more interest tended to delay their treatment decisions. Little support was found for a cohort explanation for the relationship between age and preference for immediate medical decision making.

Does biopsy, aspiration or six-month follow-up of a false-positive mammogram reduce future screening or have large psychosocial effects? 1

Rationale and Objectives. To determine the differences in the psychosocial effects and future mammography screening behavior between women who had an abnormal mammogram followed either by percutaneous or open surgical breast biopsy or cyst aspiration, or by short-term follow-up mammography to provide insight to radiologists making decisions regarding work-up. Materials and Methods. A structured interview was administered to women who recently had abnormal mammograms, leading to biopsy or aspiration (170 cases), or short-term follow-up (176 controls), by telephone within a month of the eligibility event and again approximately 15 months later. Information was collected on perceived pain/discomfort, interactions with medical staff, emotional impact, general breast cancer knowledge, patient attitude towards early diagnosis of breast cancer, perceived risk, previous and intended screening behavior, and subjective health status. Wilcoxon rank sum statistical test was used to compare the two groups at the time of both interviews. Results. Cases and controls had similar demographics. There were no significant differences in the examined psychosocial effects and reported intention to undergo future screening mammography between cases and controls. The overwhelming majority of both cases and controls both reported intention to and underwent routine screening 15 months after the eligibility event. Conclusion. Undergoing a biopsy, cyst aspiration, or 6-month follow-up after a positive mammogram does not have large psychosocial effects, nor does it deter women from undergoing screening mammography in the future.

Cancer knowledge, self-efficacy, and cancer screening behaviors among Mexican-American women.

Latina women are at significantly greater risk of death from cancer than Anglo women in the United States. Reasons for this include a lack of knowledge regarding cancer, lack of access to cancer screening services, and feelings of fatalism. This study was designed to determine the relationship between cancer knowledge and cancer screening self-efficacy in this population. One hundred twelve Mexican-American women living in southern Texas were surveyed regarding their self-efficacy toward engaging in age-appropriate cancer screening activities. Each subject answered questions related to knowledge and self-efficacy in four topical areas; general cancer knowledge, cervical cancer and Pap smears, breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE), and colorectal cancer and sigmoidoscopy. A majority of the responders had significant misconceptions related to cancer causation, symptoms, and treatment and expressed feelings of little control over prevention of the disease. Only a minority felt that they could undergo the appropriate screenings, even if they were available. There were strong relationships between all of the knowledge variables examined, and between knowledge and self-efficacy related to BSE and colorectal cancer screening. Strong relationships were not found for the areas of Pap smears and general cancer knowledge. The results suggest that increased knowledge is associated with increased self-efficacy for cancer screening.

Cancer Knowledge and Acceptance of Children with Cancer

In this study, a Cancer Knowledge Questionnaire (CKQ) for elementary schoolchildren was developed and the relationship of cancer knowledge to attitudinal predispositions to accept and interact with children with cancer was assessed. CKQ includes 21 yes-no items that assess general cancer knowledge and knowledge of cancer's effects on social and emotional functioning. A sample of 478 children, ages six-12, completed CKQ, and a separate sample of 41 children completed it on two occasions separated by a one-week interval. Adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability were obtained. Children's knowledge of cancer increased with age but generally was limited across all age groups. Knowledge of cancer was associated positively with previous experiences with cancer, lower fear of cancer, less worry about children with cancer, and attitudinal predispositions to accept and interact with children having cancer.