This study assessed perceptions and attitudes toward cancer treatment among 836 participants in Saudi Arabia. It found that most participants believed cancer patients should be informed of their diagnosis and treatment options. However, participants also had deficiencies in their cancer knowledge - nearly half felt they needed more information. While most were open to conventional treatments like chemotherapy and surgery, over half were also open to alternative therapies. The study concluded that cancer prevention strategies should aim to reduce knowledge disparities in the population through increased awareness and education initiatives.

1. RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION
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Female
n= 289
Male
n= 557
P value
Wither Cancer patient should know about his disease
- Yes 252 (87.2) 455 (81.7) P = .009**
- No 32 (11.1) 70 (12.6)
- Doesn't not know 5 (1.7) 32 (5.7)
Wither Cancer patient should recive
Chemotherapy 1.5 (36.3) 175 (31.4) P =.14
Radiotherapy 1 (.3) 17 (3.1)
Surgery 11 (3.8) 37 (6.6)
All modality 172 (59.5) 328 (58.9)
Wither Cancer patient should receive
alternative treatment
- Yes 160 (55.4) 327 (58.7) P = .089
- No 21 (7.3) 61 (11)
- Not sure 108 (37.7) 169 (30.3)
Do you believe Cancer could be treated
Doesn't not know 78 (27) 142 (25.5) P= .841
Never 15 (5.2) 36 (6.5)
Can be 143 (49.5) 282 (50.6)
Sometime 53 (18.3) 97 (17.4) W
Introduction
Cancer is a major public health problem, with
significant associated death and disability. It is the
second leading cause of death in developed countries and
is one of the three leading causes of death for adults in
developing countries. Currently the major problems
facing low- and medium countries are the growth and
ageing of the population and the westernization of their
lifestyle. That’s why the role of cancer prevention
program in these countries are critical . However, In
order to develop successful preventive program the
knowledge about caner and awareness about early
symptoms need to be high. In addition their should be
positive attitude toward screening program .
Objective
To assess the perception and attitude of the
general population toward cancer treatment and to
evaluate other factors regarding cancer.
Material and method
A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted
among healthy subjects attending cancer clinic with their
relative at king abdulaziz university hospital.
Result Conclusion
This study showed that participants had a deficient
perception and poor attitude about important issues
concerning cancer. Prevention education strategies
should consider targeted approaches that aim to reduce
disparities in cancer perception among the general
population by increasing the awareness about cancer
which will lead to early diagnosis of the disease and
better outcomes.
Acknowledgment
I would like to the medical students and house officer who
help me to complete the interview and fill up the
questionnaires with great appreciation to all the precipitant
for spare some of their time to be able to get this
questionnaire filled up may and special thanks to funding
resources: scientific chair of gynecological tumors
Prof. Abdullah Basalamah.
Khalid Sait , Basem Eldeek , Jawher Al Ahmadi , Maha Al Attas , Hesham Sait,
Nisrin Anfinan
Knowledge , Perception And Attitude Toward Cancer Among Healthy Population In
West Region Of Saudi Arabia
Variables N %
Nationality
Saudi 687 (81.2)
None Saudi 159 (18.8)
Age
Men± SD 31.51±13.2
Range (15 - 88)
Marital Status
Married 319 (37.7)
Single 486 (57.4)
Widow 14 (1.7)
Divorced 16 (1.8)
Education
Illiterate 59 (6.9)
Primary 34 (4.02)
Preparatory 17 (2.1)
Secondary 126 (14.9)
University 610 (72.1)
Gender
Female 580 (68.5)
Male 266 (31.4)
Variables N %
Cause Of Cancer
1. Doesn't Know 140 (14.2)
2. Inflammation 140 (14.2)
3. Environment 296 (30.1)
4. Diet 264 (26.9)
5. Genetic 441 (44.9)
6. Stress 167 (17)
7. Sad 126 (12.8)
8. Envy 264 (26.9)
9. Black magic 173 (17.6)
10. Other 264 (26.9)
Table (2): Knowledge about Cause of Cancer
Table (3): Perception of healthy population about some
concepts of cancer according to gender
Table (4): Attitude of healthy population toward
cancer diagnosis and knowledge .
Recommendation
Further studies are needed to assess cancer knowledge
and behavioral risk factors, health education campaign
are needed to raise the awareness about risk factors and
prevention of cancer among general population.
Patient With Cancer
Genital
Female
n= 289
Male
n= 557
Test of
Sig
Should patient with genital cancer hide his/ her disease
- Yes 38 (13.1) 78 (14) P= .93
- No 224 (77.5) 426 (76.5)
- Not sure 27 (9.3) 53 (9.5)
Should patients with non genital cancer hide his /her
diseae
- Yes 30 (10.4) 53 (9.5) P= .76
- No 232 (80.3) 444 (79.4)
- Not sure 27 (9.3) 60 (10.8)
Health education enough
- Yes 173 (59.9) 391 (70.2) P= .004**
- No 113 (39.1) 156 (28)
- I’am not sure 13 (1) 10 (1.8)
You need more knowledge about cancer
-Yes 142 (49.1) 235 (42.2) P=.032*
Knowledge about alternative treatment
- Yes 201 (69.6) 433 (77.7) P= .006**
You need more knowledge about alternative treatment
- Yes 130 (45) 232 (41.7) P= .196
• Total 900 participate were approached, 836 of them
agreed to in the study with respond rate of 92.9%.
Statistical analysis
The data were collected and entered into a study
database for analysis (SSP v.20).
The statistical analysis:
• The quantitative were presented in the form of number
and percentage.
• Chi-square test was used for comparisons of
quantitative data.
• Yates correction was applied when the expected cell
less than 5.
• The quantitative data were presented in the form of
mean and standard deviation.
• Student t test was used for comparisons Of quantitative
data.
• Significance was considered when p value < 0.05
Questionnaire
Nationality:
Age:
Marital Status:
Level of Education: literate
Elementary
Secondary
Collage
Sex: ○ male ○ female
______________________________________________
Anybody in family diagnosis with cancer
○ Yes ○ No
Was you diagnose with cancer her / himself
○ Yes ○ No
Type
What do you think, why cancer happen:
I don’t know
Unknown
infectious
Environmental
Nutritional
Hereditary
Others ( e.g. stress)
1-Do you think that cancer patients should know his
illness?
○ Yes ○ No ○ Not sure
2-Do you think that cancer patients must accept if
treatment is offered ?
○ Chemotherapy ○ Surgical treatment ○All
3-Do you think that cancer patients should consider the
use of alternative therapy?
○ Yes ○ No ○ Not sure
4-Do you think cancer can be cure
○I don’t know ○never curable ○it can be ○ partially
5-do you think cancer patients should hide there illness
○ Yes ○ No ○ Not sure
6- Do you think health education for cancer is enough
○ Yes ○ No ○ Not sure
sure
7-Do you want to get more information about alternative
therapy
○ Yes ○ No ○ Not sure
Table (1): Demographic Characters of the Studied
population