The public awareness on the facts of cancer in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The present study was designed to determine the public awareness on behalf of facts of cancer in Eastern province. Random sampling technique from the adult population of ordinary public was employed throughout the survey. Based on the output, Batticalo districts people heard about cancer somehow higher (41.56%) than the Ampara (35.58%) and Trincomalee districts (22.86%), of which 49.47% men and 50.23% women (N = 385). The women population of youngest generation with higher education recognized the cancer compared to other group of public. There was significant association at 95% confidence level between knowing about cancer and educational level X2 (4, N = 385) = 11.16, p = 0.025). There are types of common cancer, breast cancer was mostly identified by the respondents, though abundantly did not know much about colon cancer and prostate cancer. From the overall observances, 17.14% of the respondents do not have aware on that the cancer is a non-communicable disease, of which who attained limited educational level did not distinguish the facts of infectious ethics of the cancer. Most of the respondents had lack of awareness on the cancer causative factors. The respondents (62.90%) well recognized the habits of smoking. However, obesity and food habit were disagreed to be as causative agents of the cancer. Conclusively, the Eastern public have to be driven towards overcome the cancer incidences in future by making awareness and proposed mitigating measures.