Awareness and Attitudes of University Students in Bangladesh Toward Cancer: Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

University students in Bangladesh have low cancer awareness and inconsistent knowledge of risk factors, with significant gender differences in attitudes toward cancer care.

Contribution

This study identifies specific knowledge gaps and gender-based attitudes toward cancer in Bangladeshi university students.

Findings

Only 11.9% of students considered themselves very knowledgeable about cancer, and 93.6% had never undergone cancer screening.

Gender differences were significant, with more female students supporting increased cancer care funding and feeling comfortable around cancer patients.

Awareness of nonmodifiable risk factors like aging and obesity was low, with reproductive factors being the least recognized.

Abstract

Early detection and awareness are critical in reducing the burden of cancer. However, a significant proportion of university students in Bangladesh remains inadequately informed about cancer risks and preventive measures.

This study aimed to assess knowledge gaps and evaluate the attitudes of Bangladeshi university students toward cancer, its prevention, risk factors, and care for affected individuals.

A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 530 university students aged 20 to 35 years across Bangladesh. Data were collected using an ethically approved, structured internet-based questionnaire between December 2022 and March 2024. The questionnaire assessed sociodemographics, cancer knowledge, awareness of risk factors, personal or familial cancer experiences, and attitudes toward cancer care and policy. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyze categorical data, with a significance threshold of P<.05.

Most participants were aged 21–25 years (406/530, 76.6%) and female (320/530, 60.4%), with the majority enrolled in undergraduate programs (82.8%, 439/530). While 60.8% (322/530) considered themselves somewhat knowledgeable about cancer, only 11.9% (63/530) were very knowledgeable, and 93.6% (496/530) had never undergone any cancer screening. Despite this, 74.3% (394/530) had personal or familial exposure to cancer, with carcinoma reported by 52.8% (280/530) of those affected. Awareness of established risk factors was inconsistent—smoking (90.9%, 482/530) and radiation (86.6%, 459/530) were widely recognized, but only 38.9% (206/530) acknowledged aging, 35.3% (187/530) obesity, and 29.2% (155/530) infectious agents as risk factors. Reproductive factors were least recognized, with just 10.2% (54/530) identifying having more children as a risk factor. Gender differences were significant in cancer-related attitudes. For example, 51.5% (273/530) of female participants versus 33.4% (177/530) of male participants felt comfortable around patients with cancer (P=.01), and 57.2% (303/530) of female participants versus 35.8% (190/530) of male participants supported increased government funding for cancer care (P=.03). Furthermore, 55.1% (292/530) of females and 35.5% (188/530) of males stressed the need for enhanced cancer awareness programs (P=.05). Only 6.4% (34/530) of all participants reported undergoing any form of cancer screening, highlighting a disconnect between awareness and preventive action.

This study reveals critical gaps in cancer awareness among university students in Bangladesh, with pronounced disparities in knowledge of nonmodifiable risk factors and significant gender-based differences in attitudes toward cancer care. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted, gender-sensitive educational programs and policy interventions to promote preventive practices, early detection, and equitable cancer care. Such initiatives must emphasize lesser-known risk factors, reduce stigma, and foster more inclusive, culturally competent health education strategies to mitigate the growing cancer burden in Bangladesh.