Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a type of cancer that affects the colon. Globally, CRC is one of the most common types of cancer in the world among both genders. The east of Saudi Arabia, Al Ahsa, is reported by the Saudi Cancer Registry to have the highest incidence. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and awareness of CRC signs and symptoms among the general population in Alahsa, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2022 to February 2023, utilizing a survey based on a previous study by Bakry et al. The sample size was 384 participants, with data collected through an online Google questionnaire. This survey covered demographics, CRC awareness, knowledge, and risk factors.
Result: 385 out of 457 of the participants which is represented as 84% answered the questionnaire correctly. The majority were males, aged over 45, residing in the Al Hassa region, with over half having university education or degrees. In addition, most participants were married, and over 80% had heard of CRC. Twelve individuals had been diagnosed with CRC, and 91 had a family history of the disease. Surprisingly, more than 90% of participants demonstrated excellent knowledge of CRC. The correlation analysis indicated that younger participants were more aware of CRC (p = 0.042), but no significant associations were found between excellent awareness levels and gender, educational level, or marital status.
Conclusion: There is an excellent level of awareness of CRC signs and symptoms among the general population in Alahsa. This reflects the excellent knowledge and education among the general population. Leading us to expect early medical help if anyone experiences CRC symptoms.
Key words: Saudi Arabia, knowledge, awareness, health-related students, colorectal cancer, Alahsa.
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