Assessment of Male Medical Students' Knowledge and Attitudes About Prostate Cancer and Screening at the University of Khartoum

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Kamal Eldin Hussein Elhassan, Mohammed Eltag Mohammed, Nimat Hussein Elhassan, Abd Elgadir Alamin Altoum, Asaad MA. Babker, Ayman Hussien Alfeel, Ahmed L. Osman, Salah Eldin Omar Hussein

 
International Journal of Biomedicine. 2022;12(4):661-666.
DOI: 10.21103/Article12(4)_OA26
Originally published December 5, 2022

Abstract: 

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common cancer among men in Sudan. It was ranked fourth among all cancer treatment centers in Khartoum. This study aimed to assess knowledge and attitude toward PC among male medical students in their final and semifinal years at the University of Khartoum.
Methods and Results: A descriptive cross-sectional online survey was conducted at the University of Khartoum (Faculty of Medicine) on semifinal and final-year male medical students from March 2022 until May 2022. Data were collected from medical students, using a standardized, pretested, coded questionnaire that contained close-ended questions. The questionnaire was distributed online to the medical students using Google Forms. Knowledge levels were determined using 10 questions on risk factors, signs and symptoms, prevention, treatment, and complications of PC. A total of 131 participants received questionnaires, and the response rate was 100%. The results are presented in chronological order in the way they were analyzed, starting with sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, sources of information on PC, knowledge levels (low, medium, and high) of PC, and attitude levels (positive, negative) relating to the year of study. All medical students in the last 2 years have heard about PC, and medical students overwhelmingly (88.5%) believe that early detection of PC through screening improves survival. Almost all the respondents in our study indicated their willingness to go for PC screening (87.8%), and the rest of the respondents’ attitudes about the importance of PC and treatment were positive.
Conclusion: Most students have sufficient knowledge about prostate cancer, its risk factors, complications, and treatment. Medical students are an important population in studying the determinants of screening for prostate cancer.

Keywords: 
prostate cancer • attitude • knowledge • medical students
References: 

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Received September 22, 2022.
Accepted October 23, 2022.
©2022 International Medical Research and Development Corporation.