Abstract
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is defined as a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. CRC is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Saudi males and ranks third in female individuals. Awareness among the population about CRC symptoms, risk factors, and screening tests is essential for preventing further morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess CRC knowledge in the western region of Saudi Arabia, as well as awareness of CRC risk factors, symptoms, and screening based on various demographic data.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with a representative random sample of 358 Saudi residents in the western region. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed through social media sites starting from October 2021 till December 2021. Participants' awareness of CRC risk factors, symptoms, and screening was assessed using the questionnaire. For data analysis, we used SPSS Statistics, version 24 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY).
Results: Of the 385 participants, 76.4% were females, and most participants had a university degree level of education. Study respondents reported fear of colonoscopy as the top reason why they avoided CRC screening. Most participants (63.4%) showed insufficient knowledge. Certain factors showed a significant association with the participants' knowledge about CRC, such as age (p<.001), higher education (p=.002), and having a career in health care (p=.002).
Conclusion: As the study resulted in overall insufficient knowledge about CRC among respondents, certain factors showed a significant association with the knowledge level. Raising awareness and health promotion programs should target older age groups and those with below university degree level of education to ultimately prevent morbidity and mortality related to colorectal cancer.