Cancer Prevention Literacy among Different Population Subgroups: Challenges and Enabling Factors for Adopting and Complying with Cancer Prevention Recommendations

Lena Sharp; Nikolina Dodlek; Diane Willis; Arja Leppänen; Helena Ullgren

doi:10.3390/ijerph20105888

Cancer Prevention Literacy among Different Population Subgroups: Challenges and Enabling Factors for Adopting and Complying with Cancer Prevention Recommendations

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 May 19;20(10):5888. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20105888.

Authors

Lena Sharp^{1

2}, Nikolina Dodlek^{3

4

5}, Diane Willis⁶, Arja Leppänen¹, Helena Ullgren^{2

7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Regional Cancer Centre, Stockholm-Gotland, SE-10425 Stockholm, Sweden.
² Department of Nursing, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
³ Department for Oncology, University Hospital Center Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia.
⁴ Department of Nursing, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3036, Cyprus.
⁵ Nursing and Palliative Care, Faculty for Medicine and Dental Health, 31000 Osijek, Croatia.
⁶ School of Health & Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, UK.
⁷ ME Head & Neck, Lung & Skin Cancer, Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden.
⁸ Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden.

Abstract

It is estimated that 40% of the cancer cases in Europe could be prevented if people had better information and tools to make healthier choices and thereby reduce some of the most important cancer risk factors. The aim of this study is to gain knowledge and understanding about cancer prevention literacy among people with intellectual disabilities, immigrants, young people and young cancer survivors. In this qualitative study, we conducted six online focus-group interviews, including forty participants, to explore the cancer prevention literacy of four population subgroups and determine how cancer prevention recommendations according to the European Code Against Cancer (ECAC) were perceived. The analysis resulted in the following main categories: current health beliefs and their impacts on how the ECAC recommendations were perceived, communication strategies and sources benefiting or hindering cancer prevention information from reaching out, and how vulnerabilities in these subgroups impact cancer prevention literacy. To improve cancer prevention literacy in Europe, more attention is needed this topic to overcome barriers among different population subgroups. Recommendations include improved and adapted cancer prevention information, support to individuals, as well as societal support, such as easy-access screening and vaccination programmes and regulations related to tobacco, alcohol, and diet.

Keywords: cancer prevention; cancer prevention literacy; communication; health inequalities; health literacy; public health.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Delivery of Health Care
Diet
Health Literacy* / methods
Humans
Neoplasms* / prevention & control
Qualitative Research
Risk Factors

Grants and funding

This study was mainly funded by the Regional Cancer Centre Stockholm-Gotland, Sweden (research time for L.S., transcripts, most of the honorariums to the FGI participants and publication fees). It also received funding from EONS (for parts of the honorariums to the FGI participants and one research meeting). We would like to thank the Karolinska University Hospital for the research time for H.U. and the administration support from the Cyprus University of Technology for N.D.