MO8-4 Knowledge, attitudes and participants risk of lung cancer in Bangladeshi population: A nationwide cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem much more. There is a high risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 among patients having lung cancer. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking for early symptoms of lung cancer in Bangladeshi people. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 744 randomly selected respondents from eight different administrative regions of Bangladesh between June and August 2021. A structured questionnaire was used covering socio-demographic characteristics of the participants including their knowledge, attitudes, and participant's risk about lung cancer to accomplish our aim and objectives. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with the knowledge and awareness of lung cancer. Result: Of the 744 participants, 90.3% (672/744) reported to have heard about lung cancer. A total of 17 participants were identified as lung cancer patients. Being a smoker (96.7%) and unexplained shortness of breath (92.6%) were identified as the most common risk factor and symptoms of lung cancer respectively. Among the socio-demographic variables, the level of education of the respondents was identified as an independent predictor for both knowledge (p<0.001) and awareness (p<0.001) about lung cancer. Smoking status was significantly associated with the participant's awareness of lung cancer (p<0.001). Conclusion: Although most participants were knowledgeable about smoking as a major risk factor, it was not proportional to their actions to stop smoking. This study highlights the importance of raising awareness and enhancing positive steps to avoid modified risk factors or even encourage early testing for lung cancer.