Changes in cancer awareness in the Polish population, 1976-1990.

Background: Public awareness of cancer plays a major role in its prevention. Knowledge of changes in public awareness provides a good foundation for public health education interventions and facilitates their evaluation.

Methods: Three nationwide studies of representative samples of the Polish population were carried out in 1976, 1986, and 1990. During this period extensive public health education was provided.

Results: Favorable changes were observed in nearly all the aspects investigated. Belief in the curability of cancer increased by 33%; knowledge of breast self-examination increased by 46%; the opinion that cancer is difficult to detect declined by 19%, knowledge that smoking encourages cancer of the lung increased by 15%, and knowledge that cancer is not infectious increased by 35%. Other changes were smaller, but were also positive.

Conclusions: Despite improvement in the public awareness, there are still urgent unmet needs in health education in Poland. For example, efforts should be increased to control smoking addiction, especially among the young, persuade women to do breast self-examination and have Pap tests, and inform the public about healthy lifestyles and behaviors that prevent cancer.