Effect of a health education program on cancer awareness among college students: Responding to the challenges of cancer control in India

Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health - Year 2014, Vol 3, Issue 2

Abstract

Background: Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide. One of the most cost effective strategies identified for better cancer control is emphasis on health education. Aims & Objective: This study was undertaken to explore knowledge and awareness of the students of degree colleges about cancer and also to assess the impact of health education on improving awareness about cancer on these students. Material and Methods: The study is a descriptive interventional study with pre and post intervention evaluation. Knowledge about cancer was assessed before and after a short lecture with the help of predesigned, pre tested, semi structured proforma. A to tal of 563 students were included in the study. Results: Knowledge about cancer was found to be lacking among students as ass essed in various spheres such as epidemiology (59.86%), clinical features (22.75%), diagnosis (41.0%)), treatment (41.39%) and preventive measures (63.94%). Statistically significant improvement in knowledge was found after health education. The percentage of students with poor knowledge was reduced from 43.16% to only 18.47% following health education. Conclusion: The method of health education through group approach should be applied at community level because health education is an effective tool to incr ease the knowledge and awareness regarding cancer.

Authors and Affiliations

Shubhra Gupta, Meeta Jain, Pritam Roy, Dipshikha Maiti

Keywords

Related Articles

Risk of respiratory morbidity in term infants delivered by elective cesarean delivery  

 Background: The incidence of elective cesarean delivery (ECD) at term is rapidly increasing in the last decades, which is significantly contributing to neonatal respiratory morbidity. Objective: To study the risk...

Prevalence of generalized and abdominal obesity in police worker - A cross-sectional study

Background: Police work generally recognized as a most stressful and dangerous occupation. Despite of sufficient physical activity most police worker is suffering from overweight or obesity. There is a scarcity of knowle...

Prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among the elderly in rural Puducherry, South India

Background: Anemia in the elderly can lead to wide variety of complications as it is associated with increase in mortality and morbidity. Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of anemia a...

Importance of etiologic factors and electrocardiographic findings for diagnosis of emergency hyperkalemic patients

Background: Hyperkalemia is the life-threatening problem. Early diagnosis and treatment of patients with the possibility of hyperkalemia should be performed in emergency department. Comorbid diseases used medications and...

Indian Medical Pharmacologists Association: New Beginning

Pharmacology is a rapidly evolving field. In India, it all started when the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists (APPI) was formed and the budding field of pharmacology had its first foot in independent...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP117126
  • DOI 10.5455/ijmsph.2013. 0 111 2013 2
  • Views 77
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Shubhra Gupta, Meeta Jain, Pritam Roy, Dipshikha Maiti (2014). Effect of a health education program on cancer awareness among college students: Responding to the challenges of cancer control in India. International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health, 3(2), 146-149. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-117126