Cancer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle Cancer-Related Behaviors among Adolescents in Italy
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 fa...
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doaj-3c3900c19fc8401a8220bccf339e801c2020-11-25T03:57:29ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1661-78271660-46012020-11-01178294829410.3390/ijerph17228294Cancer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle Cancer-Related Behaviors among Adolescents in ItalyGabriella Di Giuseppe0Concetta P. Pelullo1Maria Mitidieri2Giuseppe Lioi3Maria Pavia4Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Naples, ItalyThis 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.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/22/8294attitudescancerknowledgelifestylepreventionrisk factors |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Gabriella Di Giuseppe Concetta P. Pelullo Maria Mitidieri Giuseppe Lioi Maria Pavia |
spellingShingle |
Gabriella Di Giuseppe Concetta P. Pelullo Maria Mitidieri Giuseppe Lioi Maria Pavia Cancer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle Cancer-Related Behaviors among Adolescents in Italy International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health attitudes cancer knowledge lifestyle prevention risk factors |
author_facet |
Gabriella Di Giuseppe Concetta P. Pelullo Maria Mitidieri Giuseppe Lioi Maria Pavia |
author_sort |
Gabriella Di Giuseppe |
title |
Cancer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle Cancer-Related Behaviors among Adolescents in Italy |
title_short |
Cancer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle Cancer-Related Behaviors among Adolescents in Italy |
title_full |
Cancer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle Cancer-Related Behaviors among Adolescents in Italy |
title_fullStr |
Cancer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle Cancer-Related Behaviors among Adolescents in Italy |
title_full_unstemmed |
Cancer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitudes and Lifestyle Cancer-Related Behaviors among Adolescents in Italy |
title_sort |
cancer prevention: knowledge, attitudes and lifestyle cancer-related behaviors among adolescents in italy |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1661-7827 1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2020-11-01 |
description |
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. |
topic |
attitudes cancer knowledge lifestyle prevention risk factors |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/22/8294 |
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