The knowledge levels of medical interns on childhood cancers

ABSTRACT

Purpose

This study aimed to determine the knowledge levels of medical interns on childhood cancers (CC).

Methods

This study included a total of 302 interns from the Gaziantep University School of Medicine between 15th-20 October 2021. A questionnaire consisting of 47 knowledge questions prepared from the literature was performed to all final year medical students to measure their overall knowledge level. All questions with right answers scored one point.

Results

The knowledge scores of participants ranged between 13 and 47 with a mean score of 37.74 ± 7.51 (women = 37.11 ± 7.95, men = 38.34 ± 7.03). The knowledge level was similar between men and women (p = 0.158). The interns who had completed their final year pediatric internship (p = 0.44) and ones who stated that they had recieved adequate training in terms of CC (p = 0.011) had significantly higher knowledge scores. Of the risk factors for CC, most commonly known were genetic diseases (n = 296, 98.0%) and radiation exposure (n = 296, 98.0%). Enlarged lymph nodes (n = 290, 96.0%) and palpable abdominal mass (n = 286, 94.7%) were the symptoms interns were most commonly aware about.

Conclusions

We found that the interns were seriously lacking knowledge about CC. Training has a positive effect on CC knowledge of the interns hence, the curriculum should be rearranged properly to improve this issue. A significant portion of interns do not consider their knowledge on CC as adequate and demand for further training. Insufficient familiarity regarding the symptoms of CC may lead to delays in early diagnosis. It is of significant importance that the Ministry of Health and its stakeholders generate projects informing especially the healthcare professionals and the public regarding risk factors and the symptoms of CC.

KEYWORDS:

• Cancer
• leukemia
• childhood
• medicine

Availability of data and material

The data that support the fndings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Consent to participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Declaration of funding

No funding was received for the production of this manuscript.

Disclosure of any financial/other conflicts of interest

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Ethics approval

Approval from Gaziantep University School of Medicine Scientific Research Ethics Committee and permission from Gaziantep University School of Medicine Dean’s Office for the current study was obtained. The ethical principles stated in the latest revision of the Declaration of Helsinki and good clinical practice standards were applied.