CANCER KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS AMONG CHINESE FACTORY-WORKERS - IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER CONTROL AND PREVENTION

The global ''war on cancer'' increasingly depends on public perception s of primary and secondary cancer prevention and control efforts. Reco gnition of cancer warning signs, understanding the importance of early diagnosis, and participation in cancer screening programs are partly functions of an individual's attitudes and knowledge. A questionnaire designed to determine present knowledge and attitudes towards a variet y of cancer issues was administered to a random sample of Chinese fact ory workers in two port cities in southeast China. Our findings reveal ed that, like Americans, Chinese workers are uncertain and ill informe d about many cancer issues. This study also demonstrates that cancer r isk factors, cancer warning signs, and harmful occupational exposures are not common knowledge among the Chinese lay public. These findings should facilitate future Chinese cancer education and control efforts and further the need among health education planners to recognize and appreciate public perceptions and misperceptions of a notably complex disease.