A JORDANIAN VIEW ABOUT CANCER KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES

Cancer is a major cause of death in Jordan. It is noticed that the maj ority of the Jordanian people still have many misconceptions about thi s disease. Public education campaigns were launched regularly when the first cancer center in the country was initially opened and began to function partially in 1996. However, the baseline data needed for the initial planning of these campaigns were not available. This study aim ed at exploring the knowledge and attitudes of a sample of the Jordani an people toward cancer. The questionnaire, Public Knowledge;and Attit udes Toward Cancer (PKAC) developed by the researchers, was the main t ool used in the study. The questionnaire consisted of two sections: Th e first section obtained demographic data about the participants, and the second solicited data concerning the participants' knowledge and f eeling about the disease. The second section contained items to which the participants answered yes, no, or don't know. The findings of this study will contribute to our general understanding and knowledge of t he educational needs in Jordanian society regarding cancer as a diseas e.