Lifestyle Habits and Adherence to Cancer Screening Programs Among Italian Teachers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate teachers' lifestyle habits and to investigate their knowledge and behaviors related to cancer screening. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was performed among teachers randomly selected from schools located in the Campania region, Italy. Results: Only 17% of the teachers were current smokers, while 72.1% consumed alcohol. Female teachers, those who were married/cohabitant, and those who discussed with students about alcohol consumption were more likely to have never smoked or drunk alcohol. Female and older teachers, those with a university or a master/PhD degree, and those who had a moderate/high level of physical activity (PA) were more likely to sufficiently consume fruits and vegetables. Only 20.9% of teachers had a moderate/high level of PA. Those who had at least one child, who taught humanistic and support disciplines, and who needed additional information on healthy lifestyle habits were less likely to have a moderate/high level of PA. Among participants, 42.3% had ever undergone mammography for screening and 37.5% a Pap test and a fecal occult blood test. Conclusions: This survey describes a worrying prevalence of unhealthy behaviors and low adherence to screening programs among Italian teachers, suggesting the need for education and screening campaigns to improve preventive strategies in this population.