[The knowledge attitude and practice of cancer prevention among primary school teachers]

This study was based on the data collected through personal interviews by the Yang-Ming Crusade, organized by students of National Yang-Ming Medical College, during the summer vacations in 1983-1985. Arranged by 21 city/country Education Bureaus, the crusaders gave lectures on cancer education for primary school teachers in every city and town throughout the Taiwan area. Totally 36,426 questionnaires were filled out before the lecture meetings. This is a KAP (knowledge, attitude and practice) study of cancer prevention among primary school teachers. The cognizance rates of cervical cancer as the leading cancer and as the most curable one for women in Taiwan were 75.5% and 43.0% respectively. Pap smear and Hemoccult Slide Test were known by 95.9% and 74.0% of the interviewees, mostly from TV (65.6% and 68.9%), followed by hospital and others. The necessity of "early diagnosis and early treatment" was accepted by 91.9% of the interviewees, a periodical check-up for cancer was thought essential by 93.4% of them, and cancer insurance was consent by 90.3% of them. It was agreed by 51.3% of the interviewees and disagreed by 46.7% of them that herbs are effective to cure cancer. Psychological fear (36.8%), physiological pain (30.2%) and worry of interfering family (15.3%) were considered the most dreadful situations by primary school teachers in case of having cancer. Totally 56.4% of the female interviewees had had a Pap Test, 63.8% of them were for prevention. The most frequently consulted person for a Pap Test was husband (30.1%) and, secondly herself (8.0%). The most influencial persons for having a Pap Test were husband (24.8%) and physician (11.1%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)