[Evaluation of non-oncologist physician's knowledge and attitude towards cancer screening and preventive actions].
BACKGROUND
New cancer cases are most often diagnosed by non-oncologist physicians. It is therefore essential for all physicians to be aware of cancer preventive practices and use them appropriately with their patients.


METHODS
Questionnaires were administered to 120 non-oncologist physicians of various specialties attending the "Faculdade de Medicina do ABC" who deal directly with adult patients. Replies were collected and classified as appropriate or not according to one of these three cancer prevention guidelines: INCA, American Cancer Society and Canadian Task Force.


RESULTS
The percentage of replied questionnaires was 58.3% (70 questionnaires). Mean age of physicians was 33.9 years; 57.1% were women and 10% smokers. Most of the current preventive practices adopted by the participating physicians (45.72% to 100%) regarding the most common and preventable tumors (breast, cervix, prostate, colon and rectum and non-melanoma skin cancer) did not agree with any of the guidelines mentioned above. When questioned about possible impediments for the appropriate practice of cancer prevention, 82.86% reported absence of health education agents working with the population, 77.14% scarceness of knowledge or training concerning prevention, and 70.15% lack of financial support for ordering tests. Frequently, whenever there was disagreement between the guidelines and the physician's current practices, preventive tests were ordered in excess of those recommended by the guidelines.


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians had a tendency to order excessive laboratory tests, an action which can be related to lack of knowledge and to divergence among guidelines. A more intensive educational effort regarding cancer prevention, directed towards teaching physicians in training, seems to be warranted.
Tucunduva
Luciana Tomanik Cardozo de Mello
LT
Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP.
Sá
Victor Hugo Lara Cardoso de
VH
Koshimura
Erika Tae
ET
Prudente
Fernanda Vilas Boas
FV
Santos
Andréa Felice dos
AF
Samano
Eliana Sueco Tibana
ES
Costa
Luciano José Megale
LJ
Del Giglio
Auro
A
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D032921:Consensus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires