Background: Prevention strategies for cancer are necessary. Health workers who often serve as role models bear responsibility for prevention counseling and programs. However, whether their habits and behaviors reflect prevention goals are unknown. We describe the prevalence of cancer risk factors and prevention behaviors in health workers of a referral cancer center in Mexico City.
Methods: Cross-sectional study in which workers of the National Cancer Institute were invited to participate in a prevention program, risk factor survey, and nutrition, psychological, and genetic counseling were included. The likelihood of cancer was calculated based on the presence of risk factors. Factors associated with prevention behaviors were identified by logistic regression.
Results: We recruited 301 workers; 77% were women. The median self-reported BMI was 26.4 kg/m2, 9.97% smoked, 78% drank alcohol, and 89% did not get at least 150 min/week of physical activity. In women, age (OR = 1.3 95%CI 1.01-1.06) and physical activity of 150 min/week (OR = 2.52 95% CI 1.28-4.96) were associated with cancer prevention behaviors. No risk factors were associated with healthy behaviors among men.
Conclusion: Health workers may have unhealthy lifestyles and behaviors, is essential to create supportive environments to promote cancer prevention counseling and programs effectively.
Keywords: Prevention; cancer; early detection; health workers; healthy behaviors.