Ignorance over cancer screening services
Published Date:
27 February 2008
By ANGUS HOWARTH
FEWER than one in five people can name the three cancers screened for by the NHS screening programme, according to a poll for Cancer Research UK.
In a survey of more than 4,150 people, only 16 per cent could correctly identify breast, cervical and bowel cancer as the three cancers screened for.
The charity said it was continuing its call for the government and the NHS to improve services further.
Most women polled (94 per cent) realised breast cancer screening was available on the NHS, but less than 60 per cent knew cervical screening was offered.
Knowledge of bowel cancer screening was lowest, with only 25 per cent of those questioned aware of the programme.
Screening plays a vital role in detecting cancer early or picking up changes before it develops.
Professor Stephen Duffy, Cancer Research UK's professor of screening, said:
"More work needs to be done to improve the awareness and understanding of cancer screening in the UK."
The full article contains 165 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
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Last Updated:
26 February 2008 9:52 PM
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Source:
The Scotsman
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Location:
Edinburgh
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Related Topics:
Cancer research
