Most ethnic minority groups also tended to describe more barriers putting them off going to the doctor to discuss an unexplained symptom. South Asians were most likely to report embarrassment and a lack of confidence to talk about their symptoms. But White British people were most likely to report that worry about wasting the doctor’s time would put them off going to their GP.
Maja Niksic, PhD student at King’s College London, and lead author of the research, says: “This study highlights the need to develop more targeted health messages in order to encourage people with symptoms suspicious of cancer to visit their GPs sooner. It’s essential that we tailor these messages to address the specific population needs and gaps in cancer awareness that exist between different ethnic groups.
The research was presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool. The full abstract can be read here.
*The Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) is the first validated tool to assess awareness of cancer including questions about signs and symptoms, risk factors, cancer screening programmes, barriers to seeing the doctor, anticipated time to seek help and awareness of common cancers. The CAM can benchmark public awareness at a national, regional and local level, make international comparisons and track awareness over time. It identifies gaps in knowledge, of particular symptoms, risk factors, or among specific population groups, helping to inform the development of more targeted interventions. It is also used to evaluate the impact of awareness-raising initiatives that aim to improve awareness, such as the Department of Health’s Be Clear on Cancer campaigns.