Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 12(3), pp. 609 - 617
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2024.120318
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Perceived Risk of Developing Certain Cancers in People Who Smoke Tobacco in Eastern Kentucky: An Opportunity for Patient Education

Jacob Corell , Alexandra Dailey ^*
DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, United States

ABSTRACT

The associations between tobacco and many cancers, including lung cancer, have been extensively studied and reported; however, rates of these cancers in Appalachia have remained largely unchanged for years. This discrepancy could be influenced by factors like healthcare access and health literacy, defined as the extent to which individuals can find and use information to make decisions about their health. This study quantifies perceptions of personal cancer risks from smoking cigarettes among people in Eastern Kentucky. By comparing these results to predicted risks, knowledge about smoking-related health hazards in this community is described, representing an important opportunity for patient education. Adult smokers at Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center in Prestonsburg, Kentucky were approached randomly and received a 16-item validated survey tool to rate the perceived risk of developing certain cancers due to smoking. There were 183 total participants. Respondents were first screened with a verbal script explaining the study and asking if they were current everyday smokers. Predicted risk values were developed using information reported by the American Cancer Society. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to calculate statistical differences across demographic groups. The results showed that the average perceived risk of lung cancer was 3.73 and the estimated risk value was 5. The estimated risk of bladder cancer was 5, but the average perceived risk was 2.02. Gastric and pancreatic cancer replicated this trend, each scoring a perceived risk of 2.31 when the estimated risks for both were 4. Women respondents rated brain cancer significantly higher than men did (p=.019). There were no other significant differences in any demographic variables in all 12 cancers. The results of this study show that low health literacy may contribute to the disproportionately high cancer rates in Appalachia from preventable causes such as smoking. A brief educational intervention using visual tools to discuss personal risks of developing cancers from smoking may be an effective form of patient education in this population.

KEYWORDS
Cancer, Smoking, Appalachia, Health Beliefs, Perceived Risk

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Jacob Corell , Alexandra Dailey , "Perceived Risk of Developing Certain Cancers in People Who Smoke Tobacco in Eastern Kentucky: An Opportunity for Patient Education," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 609 - 617, 2024. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2024.120318.

(b). APA Format:
Jacob Corell , Alexandra Dailey (2024). Perceived Risk of Developing Certain Cancers in People Who Smoke Tobacco in Eastern Kentucky: An Opportunity for Patient Education. Universal Journal of Public Health, 12(3), 609 - 617. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2024.120318.