Does education variability change testicular cancer awareness and testicular self-examination?

To investigate the awareness about testicular cancer and testicular self examination among medical students and the community.

The cross-sectional comparative study was conducted from January to April 2019 at Tekirdag, Turkey, and comprised young male medical students aged 18-26 years and an age-matched control group of male high school graduates. Data was collected using face-to-face survey through a 15-question survey form. Data was analysed and compared using SPSS 20.

Of the 345 subjects, 174(50.4%) were medical students and 171(49.6%) were in the control group. The mean age of the medical students was 21.51±2.02 years and that of the control group was 22.04±1.45 years (p=0.435). The awereness about testicular self examination was among 91(52.3%) medical students and 32(23%) controls (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of individuals performing testicular self examination (p=0.069). The level of awareness and the practice of performing testicular self examination increased from the first to the last year of medical studies (p<0.01).

The rate of awareness and performing testicular self examination was low in the general population. However, the rates significantly increased in medical students from the first to the final year.