Cancer awareness among adolescents in Irish schools: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess adolescents' awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, cancer risk factors, cancer screening programmes, and perceived barriers to seeking medical advice.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an adapted version of the adolescent cancer awareness tool which was originally modified from the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) (Version 2.1). The sample included 474 adolescents aged 15 to 18 years recruited from nine Irish schools between November 2021 and May 2022.

Results

Awareness of cancer warning signs and symptoms was low when open-ended (recall) questions were used and relatively high for closed (recognition) questions. Unexplained lump or swelling was the most frequently identified cancer symptom. The least repo

SUBMITTER: Lawrence SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11902254 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature