Is cancer survival associated with cancer symptom awareness and barriers to seeking medical help in England? An ecological study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Campaigns aimed at raising cancer awareness and encouraging early presentation have been implemented in England. However, little is known about whether people with low cancer awareness and increased barriers to seeking medical help have worse cancer survival, and whether there is a geographical variation in cancer awareness and barriers in England.

Methods

From population-based surveys (n=35 308), using the Cancer Research UK Cancer Awareness Measure, we calculated the age- and sex-standardised symptom awareness and barriers scores for 52 primary care trusts (PCTs). These measures were evaluated in relation to the sex-, age-, and type of cancer-standardised cancer survival index of the corresponding PCT, from the National Cancer Registry, using linear regression.

SUBMITTER: Niksic M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5046204 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature