title: Knowledge and screening of head and neck cancer among American Indians in South Dakota.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We established the level of awareness of risk factors and early symptoms of head and neck cancer among American Indians in South Dakota and determined whether head and neck cancer screening detected clinical findings in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the European About Face survey. We added questions about human papillomavirus, a risk factor for head and neck cancer, and demographics. Surveys were administered at 2 public events in 2011. Participants could partake in a head and neck cancer screening at the time of survey administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 205 American Indians who completed the survey, 114 participated in the screening. Mean head and neck cancer knowledge scores were 26 out of 44. Level of education was the only factor that predicted higher head and neck cancer knowledge (b = 0.90; P = .01). Nine (8%) people had positive head and neck cancer screening examination results. All abnormal clinical findings were in current or past smokers (P = .06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are gaps in American Indian knowledge of head and neck cancer risk factors and symptoms. Community-based head and neck cancer screening in this population is feasible and may be a way to identify early abnormal clinical findings in smokers.
authors.affiliation: Sunshine Dwojak, Daniel Deschler, and Kevin Emerick are with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Michele Sargent and Daniel Petereit are with the John T. Vucurevich Cancer Care Institute at Rapid City Regional Hospital, Rapid City, SD. B. Ashleigh Guadagnolo is with the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.
authors.forename: Sunshine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dwojak
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deschler
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sargent
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Emerick
authors.forename: B Ashleigh
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Guadagnolo
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petereit
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013023:South Dakota / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires