Assessment of cancer awareness levels among health sciences students

Cancer is a major global health problem; therefore, increasing awareness among health sciences students is important for early diagnosis and preventive behaviors. This study aimed to determine the cancer awareness levels of students studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences.

This quantitative and descriptive study included 233 students from the Faculty of Health Sciences. Data were collected using a questionnaire containing the participants' descriptive characteristics and the Cancer Awareness Scale. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analyses were used.

The students' mean total score on the Cancer Awareness Scale was 45.51 ± 8.42, indicating a moderate level of overall awareness. Among the sub-dimensions, the lowest score was found in the "early warning signs of cancer" dimension, while awareness of risk factors and screening programs was also limited. Female students had significantly higher awareness levels than male students (p < 0.05). Students who exercised regularly, paid attention to healthy nutrition, and received cancer-related information from health professionals or coursework had significantly higher awareness scores (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found according to age, family history of cancer, alcohol consumption, or perceived health status (p > 0.05). In multivariate analysis, female gender (β = 0.268, p < 0.001), studying in the physiotherapy department (β = 0.188, p = 0.008), and regular exercise (β = 0.171, p = 0.013) remained independent predictors of higher cancer awareness.

Overall, students' cancer awareness was found to be at a moderate level; however, this awareness was not homogeneous across subdimensions, and there were notable deficiencies particularly in knowledge regarding early warning signs and age-related cancer risk. These findings indicate that although cancer awareness is present among students, it does not yet reach a sufficient level of depth. Therefore, it is recommended to strengthen practical training activities in health sciences curricula aimed at improving cancer awareness, and to place greater emphasis on screening programs and recognizing early warning signs.