Background

Mortality rates connected with cancer are increasing nowadays due to demographic changes in the worldwide population and the increasing number of health risks leading to cancer. Primary cancer prevention is based on avoiding exposure to identified cancer risk factors. Therefore, awareness of basic health hazards is necessary.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of the role of vaccinations, physical activity, second-hand smoke exposure and other factors in cancer prevention in Polish outpatients.

Material and methods

This was a survey involving Polish primary care patients. The study was based on an original questionnaire designed for this purpose and was distributed among primary care patients in either hardcopy (among primary care patients in the urban settings of the city of Lódż) or over the Internet.

Results

612 respondents took part in the study . Among the respondents, 28.4% claimed that vaccinations do not play any role in cancer prevention. Physical activity may prevent cancer according to 58.6% of the surveyed population. Tobacco smoking is a well-known cancer risk factor, which was admitted to by 97.2% of the respondents. Second-hand smoke exposure in the workplace was reported by 18.3% of the respondents, more often by those with secondary education than with a university degree. Second-hand smoke exposure was strongly connected with the age of the respondents.

Conclusions

There is little knowledge about vaccines and physical activity as cancer prevention methods. Tobacco smoking is a well-known cancer risk factor. Second-hand smoke exposure remains a serious problem in Poland despite a total ban on smoking in the workplace and public places.