title: Knowledge of colorectal cancer among patients presenting with rectal bleeding and its association with delay in seeking medical advice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knowledge is believed to be a driving factor for patients' early presentation for healthcare. This study was conducted to assess knowledge of colorectal cancer among subjects presenting with rectal bleeding and to determine its association with late presentation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 80 patients with rectal bleeding, aged 40 and above, was conducted between December 2008 and June 2009 in the endoscopy unit, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre. The research instruments used in this study was a self-administered questionnaire including data on duration of rectal bleeding, first medical consultation and knowledge of colorectal cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty percent of subjects with rectal bleeding delayed seeking medical advice. Subjects were more aware of symptoms of non-colorectal cancers compared to symptoms of colorectal cancer. The majority of subjects (63.8%) correctly identified rectal bleeding as a symptom but were not aware of the best screening method to detect colorectal cancer. Half of the subjects knew increasing age and genetic background to be risk factors for colorectal carcinoma. However, knowledge of colorectal cancer was not found to be significantly associated with delay in seeking help.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings indicate poor awareness of colorectal cancer among the subjects. Although public education of colorectal cancer is important for early presentation on rectal bleeding, further studies are advocated to evaluate other factors influencing patients' help seeking behavior other than knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. syahnaz74@gmail.com
authors.forename: Syahnaz Mohd
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hashim
authors.forename: Tong Seng
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Fah
authors.forename: Khairani
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.forename: Mohd Radzniwan Abdul
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: Shamsul Azhar
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sagap
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012007:Rectum; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires