scholarly journals Cancer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle Cancer-Related Behaviors among Adolescents in Italy

Author(s):  
Gabriella Di Giuseppe ◽  
Concetta Pelullo ◽  
Maria Mitidieri ◽  
Giuseppe Lioi ◽  
Maria Pavia

This study explores knowledge, attitudes and lifestyle behaviors related to cancer in a sample of adolescents. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. 871 adolescents agreed to participate, with a response rate of 96.8%. Only 26.1% had a good level of knowledge on most risk factors for cancer. Adolescents with both parents employed, with a personal, familiar or friend history of cancer or having received information about cancer prevention from a physician, were more likely to have good knowledge about the risk factors for cancer. In total, 41% of participants declared that they consumed alcohol and 25.3% declared they were current smokers, 19.2% consumed fruits or vegetables more than once a day and 75.2% reported poor physical activity. Older adolescents, with a personal, familiar or friend history of cancer, not having one parent in the healthcare sector or not physically active were significantly more likely to be current smokers, whereas physical activity was significantly more likely in adolescents who had been informed by physicians on cancer prevention, and had one parent in the healthcare sector. This study highlights a need for improved education of adolescents about cancer prevention and lifestyle cancer-related behaviors.

Women ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-119
Author(s):  
Julie Breinholm Svarrer Jakobsen ◽  
Josefine Stæhr Brodersen ◽  
Zainab Afshan Sheikh ◽  
Karoline Kragelund Nielsen

(1) Background: Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This risk can be reduced with lifestyle interventions, including physical activity. However, studies have shown that many women with prior GDM are not physically active. The aim of this study was to investigate the motivation for physical activity among women with prior GDM. (2) Methods: A qualitative study was carried out based on a phenomenological approach using semi-structured individual interviews with nine Danish women between 29 and 36 years of age with a minimum of one earlier GDM-affected pregnancy. (3) Results: Five themes were identified; perception of physical activity, risk perception, emotional distress, competing priorities and social support. The perception of physical activity varied among the women. The GDM diagnosis or the awareness of elevated risk for T2DM did not seem to be a decisive factor for the women’s motivation to be active. Competing priorities, including being in control of everyday life choices and support from social relations, were found to be important motivational factors. (4) Conclusion: Future interventions for women with prior GDM to increase motivation for physical activity should be compatible with and take into account the women’s perceptions, earlier lived experiences, possible competing priorities and support systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arisara Poosari ◽  
Thitima Nutravong ◽  
Prakasit Sa-ngiamwibool ◽  
Wises Namwat ◽  
Supaporn Chatrchaiwiwatana ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown the association between Campylobacter species infection and that environmental factors, poor oral hygiene in particular, are linked to an increased risk of esophageal cancer (EC). However, no study has reported on these factors in Thailand. Thus, this study’s objective was to evaluate the impact of the relationship between Campylobacter infection and environmental factors on EC incidence in the population of Thailand. Methods Data from a case–control study were collected from 105 newly diagnosed EC cases and 105 controls recruited from 2007 to 2017. Infection with Campylobacter spp. was detected in the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue of EC taken from gastroesophageal biopsy specimens obtained from the participants, and evaluated using TaqMan® real-time PCR. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and perform data analysis. Results Smoking, alcohol use, a family history of cancer, history of gastroesophageal reflux disease, poor oral hygiene and Campylobacter spp. infection were shown to be significant risk factors for EC (p  <  0.05). The combination of poor oral hygiene and infection with Campylobacter spp. constituted significant risk for EC (p  <  0.001). In addition, the risk of EC in subjects co-infected with C. rectus and C. concisus that practiced poor oral hygiene was even higher and was significant (ORadj  =  4.7; 95% CI 2.41–9.98; p  =  0.003). Conclusions In Thailand, the major risk factors for EC are smoking status, alcohol drinking, family history of cancer, GERD, poor oral hygiene and Campylobacter spp. infection. This study found Campylobacter spp. prevalence to be associated with EC and appears to be enhanced by poor oral hygiene, suggesting that a combination of poor oral hygiene and Campylobacter species infection may together act as an important etiological risk factor for EC.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1952
Author(s):  
Anna Johansson ◽  
Isabel Drake ◽  
Gunnar Engström ◽  
Stefan Acosta

Risk factors for ischemic stroke is suggested to differ by etiologic subtypes. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors and atherothrombotic stroke (i.e., excluding cardioembolic stroke), and to examine if the potential benefit of modifiable lifestyle factors differs among subjects with and without predisposing comorbidities. After a median follow-up of 21.2 years, 2339 individuals were diagnosed with atherothrombotic stroke out of 26,547 study participants from the Malmö Diet and Cancer study. Using multivariable Cox regression, we examined non-modifiable (demographics and family history of stroke), semi-modifiable comorbidities (hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus and atherosclerotic disease), and modifiable (smoking, body mass index, diet quality, physical activity, and alcohol intake) risk factors in relation to atherothrombotic stroke. Higher age, male gender, family history of stroke, and low educational level increased the risk of atherothrombotic stroke as did predisposing comorbidities. Non-smoking (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.56–0.68), high diet quality (HR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.72–0.97) and high leisure-time physical activity (HR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.80–0.98) decreased the risk of atherothrombotic ischemic stroke independent of established risk factors, with non-significant associations with body mass index and alcohol intake. The effect of the lifestyle factors was independent of predisposing comorbidities at baseline. The adverse effects of several cardiovascular risk factors were confirmed in this study of atherothrombotic stroke. Smoking cessation, improving diet quality and increasing physical activity level is likely to lower risk of atherothrombotic stroke in the general population as well as in patient groups at high risk.


Author(s):  
Noraidatulakma Abdullah ◽  
Nor Abdul Murad ◽  
John Attia ◽  
Christopher Oldmeadow ◽  
Mohd Kamaruddin ◽  
...  

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is escalating rapidly in Asian countries, with the rapid increase likely attributable to a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. Recent research suggests that common genetic risk variants contribute minimally to the rapidly rising prevalence. Rather, recent changes in dietary patterns and physical activity may be more important. This nested case-control study assessed the association and predictive utility of type 2 diabetes lifestyle risk factors in participants from Malaysia, an understudied Asian population with comparatively high disease prevalence. The study sample comprised 4077 participants from The Malaysian Cohort project and included sub-samples from the three major ancestral groups: Malay (n = 1323), Chinese (n = 1344) and Indian (n = 1410). Association of lifestyle factors with type 2 diabetes was assessed within and across ancestral groups using logistic regression. Predictive utility was quantified and compared between groups using the Area Under the Receiver-Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC). In predictive models including age, gender, waist-to-hip ratio, physical activity, location, family history of diabetes and average sleep duration, the AUC ranged from 0.76 to 0.85 across groups and was significantly higher in Chinese than Malays or Indians, likely reflecting anthropometric differences. This study suggests that obesity, advancing age, a family history of diabetes and living in a rural area are important drivers of the escalating prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Malaysia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 30-34
Author(s):  
I.P. Sharipova ◽  
◽  
Sh.C. Sadirova ◽  
E.I. Musabaev ◽  

Knowledge of the risk factors for cervical cancer (CC) and the benefits of cervical cancer prevention motivates women to participate in preventive screening. However, several studies indicate that thereis a significant lack of knowledge about the human papillomavirus (HPV) around the world. This study examines the level of knowledge about the prevention of HPV and cervical cancer in the contextof socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics of women in Uzbekistan.Key words: questioning, cervical cancer, Human Papillomavirus, prevention


2001 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 436-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gulnar Azevedo S Mendonça ◽  
José Eluf-Neto

OBJECTIVE: Selecting controls is one of the most difficult tasks in the design of case-control studies. Hospital controls may be inadequate and random controls drawn from the base population may be unavailable. The aim was to assess the use of hospital visitors as controls in a case-control study on the association of organochlorinated compounds and other risk factors for breast cancer conducted in the main hospital of the "Instituto Nacional de Câncer" -- INCA (National Cancer Institute) in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). METHODS: The study included 177 incident cases and 377 controls recruited among female visitors. Three different models of control group composition were compared: Model 1, with all selected visitors; Model 2, excluding women visiting relatives with breast cancer; and Model 3, excluding all women visiting relatives with any type of cancer. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to test the associations. RESULTS: Age-adjusted OR for breast cancer associated with risk factors other than family history of cancer, except smoking and breast size, were similar in the three models. Regarding family history of all cancers, except for breast cancer, there was a decreased risk in Models 1 and 2, while in Model 3 there was an increased risk, but not statistically significant. Family history of breast cancer was a risk factor in Models 2 and 3, but no association was found in Model 1. In multivariate analysis a significant risk of breast cancer was found when there was a family history of breast cancer in Models 2 and 3 but not in Model 1. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that while investigating risk factors unrelated to family history of cancer, the use of hospital visitors as controls may be a valid and feasible alternative.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fuyan Shi ◽  
Lance Garrett Shaver ◽  
Yujia Kong ◽  
Yanqing Yi ◽  
Kris Aubrey-Bassler ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Our objective was to examine cancer risk factor awareness and beliefs about cancer treatment, outcomes, and screening, and how these are mediated by sociodemographic variables, among Newfoundland and Labrador residents. Methods Participants aged 35 to 74 were recruited through Facebook advertising, and a self-administered online questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, Spearman rank correlations, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Of the 1048 participants who responded and met the inclusion criteria for this study, 1019 were selected for this analysis. Risk factor recognition was generally good, though several risk factors had poor awareness: being over 70 years old (53.4% respondents aware), having a low-fiber diet (65.0%), and drinking more than 1 unit of alcohol per day (62.8%). Our results showed that the participants’ awareness of risk factors was significantly associated with higher income level (rs = 0.237, P <  0.001), higher education (rs = 0.231, P <  0.001), living in rural regions (rs = 0.163, P <  0.001), and having a regular healthcare provider (rs = 0.081, P = 0.010). Logistic regression showed that among NL residents in our sample, those with higher income, post-secondary education, those in very good or excellent health, and those with a history of cancer all had higher odds of having more positive beliefs about cancer treatment and outcomes. Those with a history of cancer, and those with very good or excellent health, also had higher odds of having more positive beliefs about cancer screening. Finally, compared to Caucasian/white participants, those who were non-Caucasian/white had lower odds of having more positive beliefs about cancer screening. Conclusion Among adults in NL, there was poor awareness that low-fiber diets, alcohol, and age are risk factors for cancer. Lower income and education, rural residence, and not having a health care provider were associated with lower risk factor awareness. We also found a few associations between sociodemographic factors and beliefs about cancer treatment and outcomes or screening. We stress that while addressing awareness is necessary, so too is improving social circumstances of disadvantaged groups who lack the resources necessary to adopt healthy behaviours.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 675-679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Ottenbacher ◽  
Mandi Yu ◽  
Richard P. Moser ◽  
Siobhan M. Phillips ◽  
Catherine Alfano ◽  
...  

Background:Evidence is building that strength training may reduce complications associated with cancer such as fatigue, muscle wasting, and lymphedema, particularly among breast and prostate cancer survivors. Population estimates are available for rates of aerobic physical activity; however, data on strength training in this population are limited. The objective of this study was to identify rates of meeting public health recommendations for strength training and aerobic activity among cancer survivors and individuals with no cancer history.Methods:Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), Iteration 4 Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 were combined to conduct the analyses. Missing data were imputed, and weighted statistical analyses were conducted in SAS.Results:The proportion of individuals meeting both strength training and aerobic guidelines were low for both cancer survivors and those without a history of cancer. The odds of meeting strength training guidelines were significantly lower for women with a history of any cancer except breast, compared with women with no history of cancer (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.51−0.96).Conclusions:More work needs to be done to understand why women with cancers other than breast, may be less inclined to engage in aerobic physical activity and strength training.


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