Public Awareness and Perceptions of Colorectal Cancer Prevention: a Cross-Sectional Survey

We aimed to investigate awareness of colorectal cancer (CRC) lifestyle risk factors, willingness to participate in CRC screening, and preferences concerning channels for information on CRC prevention in the general population, including the target age of the upcoming Norwegian national CRC screening program. The present study was a cross-sectional online survey of adults aged 39 to 55 years registered as Kantar Web Panel respondents in Norway. The survey included demographic characteristics, multiple choice knowledge questions of lifestyle risk factors for CRC, attitudes towards CRC screening, and preferred channels for receiving information on CRC prevention. Of 4375 participants invited, 2007 (46%) answered the survey. The average number of correctly identified lifestyle risk factors for CRC was 7.3 of ten. Women were significantly more likely than men, and those with university or college education more likely than those with lower education to correctly identify at least eight risk factors (odds ratio, OR = 1.53, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.25–1.87, and OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.23–1.86, respectively). The number of correctly identified risk factors was positively associated with willingness to participate in CRC screening (P for trend < 0.001). The national public work force and the Norwegian Cancer Society were selected by 76% and 69% of the participants, respectively, to be trustworthy sources of information on CRC prevention. Awareness of CRC risk factors was associated with willingness to participate in CRC screening. The national public work force and Cancer Society can be generally accepted sources of CRC preventive information.