Zeitschrift für Onkologie, Medizin und Praxis

Evaluation of the Knowledge of Health Professionals in the Screening of Lung Cancer

Abstract

Nicole M. Pertile1,2*, Fernanda F. Pautasso2, Maiara A. Floriani2, Manuela Cavalcanti2, Ricardo S. Santos4,5 and Bruno Hochhegger1,2,3

Background: Lung cancer screening is one of the most effective early stage disease identification forms, through specific screening criteria. For this, it is necessary to understand how health professionals know how to identify these patients, and thus develop actions that increase adherence to lung cancer screening. The study aims to evaluate the degree of multiprofessional knowledge about lung cancer screening criteria.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with health professionals in Brazil in relation to knowledge about the screening criteria of lung cancer.

Results: 324 health professionals were included in the study, with a mean age of 46.2 years (SD 12.5), with academic training in medicine (f=307; 94.7%). The study involved participants from different regions of the country, predominantly residents of southern Brazil (f=248; 76.5%). In terms of lung cancer screening knowledge, 46.2% of health professionals met all of the screening criteria. In relation to doctors, 47.5% hit the screening criteria, and 62.3% of the respiratory specialty hit the criteria.

Conclusion: Our findings show that only 46.2% of health professionals know the criteria for screening lung cancer, and only 62.3% of physicians working with respiratory specialty have adequate knowledge about the screening lung cancer.