Ankara’daki Bir Üniversite İdari Personelinin Kanser Taramalarına Yönelik Bilgi ve Tutumlarının Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Aksu K., Evaluation of Knowledge and Attitudes of Administrative Staff at a University in Ankara Regarding Cancer Screenings, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Department of Public Health, Public Health Specialty Thesis, Ankara, 2026. This research was conducted to determine the knowledge levels, attitudes, and the variables influencing these factors among administrative staff working at the Beytepe Campus of a state university in Ankara regarding breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings within the scope of national cancer screening programs. Cancer is recognized as one of the most significant public health problems both globally and in Türkiye due to high mortality rates, disability, and treatment costs. The success of early diagnosis and organized screening programs (such as KETEM, Family Health Centers, etc.) depends on the adoption of these programs by the target population and a participation rate exceeding 70%. This descriptive epidemiological study was carried out on 398 volunteers accessible within the university administrative staff population. Data were collected using a comprehensive questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics, history of chronic diseases (most commonly thyroid, diabetes, and hypertension), healthy lifestyle habits such as tobacco and alcohol use, as well as the validated and reliable "Attitude Scale Towards Cancer Screenings" (24 items, maximum 120 points) and "Knowledge Scale Towards Cancer Screenings" (25 items, maximum 25 points). According to the findings, 63.6% of the participants were female, the mean age was 45.5, and 82.7% of the staff had a university or postgraduate education level. While 53.8% of the participants stated they were informed about national cancer screening programs, family physicians (48.6%) and social media platforms (36.9%) emerged as the primary sources of information. Only 34.8% of the staff had undergone at least one cancer screening in their lifetime; among these, breast cancer (81.2%) and cervical cancer (66.9%) screenings were common, while colorectal cancer screening remained significantly behind targets at 18.7%. The fact that a vast majority (80.4%) of those who did not undergo screening cited "not having any complaints" reveals an insufficient awareness that screenings are intended for asymptomatic individuals. Statistical analyses showed that women's median scores for both attitude (104.0) and knowledge (18.0) were significantly higher than those of men (p < 0.05). According to the knowledge scale results, 44.4% of the participants had an adequate level of knowledge (17.5 points and above). Statistical analyses revealed a positive and low correlation between knowledge levels and attitude scores (r=0.380; p<0.001). According to multivariate regression results, having children under the age of 18 negatively affected attitudes, whereas having knowledge and experience had a positive impact. Meanwhile, female gender, 55–64 age group, physical activity, and KETEM awareness were identified as the strongest predictors of the knowledge score. In conclusion, screening participation is low even among a highly educated group of university staff; therefore, it is recommended to develop strategies to increase participation in colorectal screenings—especially among male staff—to promote screening behavior as a preventive routine rather than a symptom-oriented action, and to expand institutional awareness training.