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What causes cancer? Reports from sixth-grade girls
Hazel B Nichols1, Amy Trentham-Dietz, Polly A Newcomb
1The University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Madison, USA.
Background:
We evaluated students' perception of cancer causation among sixth-grade girls living in Wisconsin.
Method:
We asked female students to list up to 3 causes of cancer in a cross-sectional health survey.
Results:
A total of 141 answers were given by 53 students. The most frequently listed causes of cancer were cigarette smoking (91%), drugs (32%), an unhealthy diet (25%), and heredity (25%). Less than 10% of students listed other potentially modifiable risk factors such as exercise, sun exposure, or alcohol consumption.
Conclusion:
Students in this study appeared to link a range of high-risk behaviors with health consequences, although the specific health risks may not be understood.
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