Awareness of Lung Cancer Signs and Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Screening in Jordan: Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality globally.
• Awareness of lung cancer signs and symptoms is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.
• Jordan has a high prevalence of lung cancer and smoking, yet awareness levels were unassessed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore awareness of lung cancer risk factors, signs, symptoms, and screening in Jordan.
• To identify factors associated with varying levels of lung cancer awareness.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey of 498 adults across Jordan.
• Data collected via a structured questionnaire on lung cancer knowledge.
• Statistical analyses included multivariate linear and logistic regressions.

Main Results:

• Low mean awareness scores for lung cancer signs/symptoms (5.4/14) and risk factors (33.0/45).
• Coughing up blood and cigarette smoking were the most recognized symptom and risk factor, respectively.
• Only 41.6% knew about lung cancer screening; smokers had lower awareness, while higher education and family history were linked to greater awareness.

Conclusions:

• The Jordanian population exhibits low awareness of lung cancer's signs, symptoms, risk factors, and screening.
• Effective strategies are needed to improve lung cancer awareness, especially in high-risk groups.