Health and cancer prevention: implications of the knowledge and beliefs of15-16 year old school pupils in South Africa

The objective was to collect information from African and white pupils aged 15-16 years on their knowledge of and attitudes towards cancer, and their understanding of health-related behaviours in relation to their future expe rience. Questionnaires were completed by a series of 338 African and 378 wh ite pupils in suburban secondary schools. African and white pupils knew mos t about lung cancer, and had some knowledge of skin and breast cancers. Smo king was seen by most as the chief cause of the disease. Half of both group s perceived a high intake of vegetables and fruit as protective. Television and printed media were the most important sources of information. The chil dren in both groups were more anxious about unemployment and violence, and also, among African children, about AIDS, than about future ill-health. Thu s, health tvas not perceived by many as the mon important goal in lift. Dis cussion indicates that white adolescents and also white adults, with more a dvanced understanding of cancer causation, make very limited use of their k nowledge, dietary and non-dietary, to avoid the disease. In brief, level of cancer knowledge has very limited implications. Although young Africans in the course of their transition are very unlikely to seek to diminish their risk of cancer, there must be no lessening of urgent warnings and advice t hrough the media on the avoidance of the disease.