Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, Gower Street, London, UK.
Br J Cancer. 2009 Dec 3;101 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S24-30. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605387.
Little is known about ethnic differences in awareness of cancer-warning signs or help-seeking behaviour in Britain. As part of the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative (NAEDI), this study aimed to explore these factors as possible contributors to delay in cancer diagnosis.
We used quota sampling to recruit 1500 men and women from the six largest minority ethnic groups in England (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Caribbean, African and Chinese). In face-to-face interviews, participants completed the newly developed cancer awareness measure (CAM), which includes questions about warning signs for cancer, speed of consultation for possible cancer symptoms and barriers to help seeking.
Awareness of warning signs was low across all ethnic groups, especially using the open-ended (recall) question format, with lowest awareness in the African group. Women identified more emotional barriers and men more practical barriers to help seeking, with considerable ethnic variation. Anticipated delay in help seeking was higher in individuals who identified fewer warning signs and more barriers.
The study suggests the need for culturally sensitive, community-based interventions to raise awareness and encourage early presentation.
在英国，人们对癌症预警信号的认知差异或寻求帮助的行为差异知之甚少。作为国家意识和早期诊断倡议（NAEDI）的一部分，本研究旨在探讨这些因素是否可能导致癌症诊断延迟。
我们使用配额抽样法从英格兰六个最大的少数族裔（印度、巴基斯坦、孟加拉国、加勒比、非洲和中国）中招募了 1500 名男性和女性。在面对面的访谈中，参与者完成了新开发的癌症意识测量（CAM），其中包括有关癌症预警信号、可能的癌症症状咨询速度和寻求帮助障碍的问题。
所有族裔群体的预警信号意识都较低，特别是在开放式（回忆）问题格式下，非洲群体的意识最低。女性更多地识别出情感障碍，男性更多地识别出寻求帮助的实际障碍，且存在相当大的族裔差异。那些识别出较少的预警信号和更多障碍的人预期会延迟寻求帮助。
该研究表明需要进行文化敏感的、基于社区的干预，以提高意识并鼓励早期就诊。
