CANCER AWARENESS IN MUMBAI’S URBAN SLUM COMMUNITIES: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Objective: To assess awareness about various cancers in an urban slum population of Mumbai, India Materials and Methodology: This Community based Descriptive epidemiological study was conducted from July 2009 to October 2009 in the catchment area of urban health centre, Cheetah camp which is the field practice area of dept of P.S.M., Topiwala National Medical College and B.Y.L. Nair Ch. Hospital Mumbai. Sample of 525 above the age of 40 years was selected using cluster sampling. Information was gathered by personal interview using semi-structured proforma. 

Results: Out of 525 study participants, males were 50.48%. Majority of the subjects belonged to age group of 40 to 44 years (39.04%). 169 (32.2%) participants thought that cancer is a disease; whereas 109 (20.6%) participants were not able to describe cancer. Regarding initial symptoms of cancer, 272 (51.8%) don’t knew any symptoms. Commonest risk factor known to participants was tobacco consumption 450 (85.7%). Awareness of participants about prognostic factors, screening facilities, screening centres of cancers, treatment centres of cancer was very poor. 

Conclusion: Awareness of study participants about cancers was very poor. There is a need for awareness generation programs to educate population about various common cancers, propagation of correct messages and promotion of early detection of cancers