Participant demographics<\/p>\n
The study included a total of 996 participants with varied demographic and health-related characteristics. Most participants were young adults aged 18\u201329 years (69.1%), followed by 17.7% aged 30\u201339. The gender distribution was almost equal, with 50.8% male and 49.2% female participants.<\/p>\n
In terms of education, the majority held an undergraduate degree (63.0%), while 22.9% had completed secondary school, 7.0% had vocational education, and 7.1% held a postgraduate degree. Participants were from various governorates, with the largest group from Sana\u2019a (46.3%), followed by Taiz (18.1%), Ibb (6.1%), Dhamar (4.7%), Amran (4.0%), Haja (3.7%), Hadramout (3.4%), and other regions comprising 13.6% of the sample.<\/p>\n
A significant portion of participants (42.0%) worked in the healthcare sector, while 58.0% did not. Only a small percentage reported a personal history of cancer (2.1%), although 24.8% indicated a family history of cancer. Most participants (89.6%) reported no chronic health problems, while 10.4% had chronic health issues (Table\u00a01<\/a>).<\/p>\n Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics of the participants (n\u2009=\u2009996)<\/b>Knowledge about cancer screening<\/p>\n The results indicate varying levels of knowledge among participants regarding cancer screening. Just over half of the participants (52.1%) reported awareness of what cancer screening is, while 47.9% indicated no awareness. When asked to self-assess their knowledge, 21.4% considered it good, 30.7% rated it as moderate, and 34.7% as poor, while 13.2% acknowledged knowing nothing about cancer screening (Table\u00a02). Of note, these two items assess different aspects of knowledge: the first reflects concept recognition, whereas the second reflects self-perceived depth of knowledge. This explains why some participants who recognized the term still reported little or no knowledge about cancer screening.<\/p>\n Regarding specific types of cancer screening, 18.4% of participants reported knowledge of all types listed. Among those aware of only one type, 18.7% were familiar with skin cancer screening, followed by 15.7% who identified breast cancer screening (mammogram), 2.1% who were aware of lung cancer screening (low-dose CT scan), 1.6% who mentioned prostate cancer screening (PSA test), 1.4% who knew about colorectal cancer screening (colonoscopy, fecal occult blood test), and 1.3% who recognized cervical cancer screening methods (Pap smear, HPV test).<\/p>\n The benefits of cancer screening were generally understood, with 42.9% of participants recognizing all major benefits, including early detection for better treatment, screening importance for those with a family history, and cancer prevention for some types. Smaller percentages highlighted individual benefits: 18.0% cited early detection, 2.9% mentioned family history as a reason for screening, and 2.0% believed some cancers could be avoided through screening. Only 1.4% felt that cancer screening has no benefit.<\/p>\n When asked about cancer risk reduction factors, a significant portion (30.8%) identified all major factors, including a healthy diet, physical activity, reduced exposure to pollutants, smoking cessation, and screening for those with a family history. Others selected specific combinations, with the most frequent responses being a mix of diet, exercise, pollutant reduction, and smoking cessation (19.2%). Smaller groups noted individual factors such as healthy diet (4.6%), screening for those with a family history (5.1%), and smoking cessation (2.5%).<\/p>\n Furthermore, the data in Table\u00a02<\/a> reveals that healthcare staff are the primary source of information about cancer screening for most participants, with 50.6% indicating they rely on healthcare professionals for this information. Family and friends serve as the main information source for 20.0% of participants, while 2.1% rely on health education companies, and 1.7% primarily use the internet or social media.<\/p>\n Additionally, 4.8% reported obtaining information from all sources listed, including healthcare staff, family\/friends, internet\/social media, and health education companies. Combinations of specific sources were also common: 17.8% receive information from healthcare staff and health education companies, 7.6% from healthcare staff and the internet\/social media, and 5.3% from healthcare staff, internet\/social media, and health education companies.<\/p>\n Out of the total participants, 695 (69.2%) had a good understanding of cancer screening, while 301 (30.2%) exhibited poor knowledge on these topics.<\/p>\n Table 2 Participants\u2019 knowledge related to cancer screening (n\u2009=\u2009996)<\/b>Cancer screening practices<\/p>\n The analysis of participants\u2019 practices toward cancer screening reveals that only 8.5% have ever undergone any type of cancer screening, while a significant 91.5% reported they have not. Among those who had undergone screening, the most common type was breast cancer screening (mammogram), accounting for 54.1%. Other types of screenings were less frequent: colorectal cancer screening (11.8%), skin cancer examination (4.7%), prostate cancer screening (3.5%), cervical cancer screening (Pap smear, HPV test) and lung cancer screening (low-dose CT scan), each at 2.4%. A small percentage (2.4%) had undergone a combination of cervical and colorectal cancer screenings, while 18.8% indicated \u201cother\u201d types of screenings (Table\u00a03).<\/p>\n Participants who engaged in cancer screening cited personal health concerns as the most influential factor (15.3%), with recommendations from healthcare providers and a family history of cancer each accounting for 9.4% of motivators. Public health campaigns also played a role, influencing 9.4% of respondents. Notably, 12.9% were driven by a combination of these factors, with the most frequent grouping being a mix of doctor recommendations, family history, and personal health concerns (22.4%).<\/p>\n Conversely, among those who refrained from cancer screenings, the perception that such screenings were unnecessary was the most reported obstacle (16.0%). This was followed by financial constraints (11.2%), lack of awareness (8.5%), fear of results (6.4%), and time limitations (5.8%). Additionally, 38.5% pointed to other unspecified challenges.<\/p>\n Overall, personal health concerns and guidance from healthcare professionals significantly encourage screening participation, while misconceptions, financial barriers, and logistical challenges remain key deterrents (Table\u00a03<\/a>).<\/p>\n Table 3 Participants practice towards cancer screening (n\u2009=\u2009996)<\/b>Attitudes toward cancer screening<\/p>\n