A Review on Educational Intervention Approaches on Cancer Knowledge and Awareness in Quasi-Experimental Studies

Abstract

Cancer is a highly prevalent noncommunicable disease with low levels of awareness among the general public, as reported in numerous studies worldwide. Given the daunting nature of cancer, poor knowledge and awareness levels of this disease with regard to its warning signs, risk factors, and the importance of cancer screening among the public may lead to unfavorable health-related outcomes, such as delayed diagnosis and treatment initiation. However, there is potential to tackle this issue with properly designed health educational interventions. Quasi-experimental studies can be implemented to raise awareness in this subject matter via a myriad of traditional and digitalized educational intervention methods. Relevant studies identified across electronic databases were categorized based on the various educational interventions employed in promoting cancer knowledge and awareness. The effectiveness of these interventional approaches was assessed based on the pre-test and post-test scores, which captured the changes in knowledge and awareness levels before and after the educational intervention. Varying outcomes were observed across the diverse methods in individuals of different age groups. Nevertheless, evidence-based cancer educational interventions often yield multifaceted positive outcomes. The aim of this article is to review the various approaches of educational interventions utilized to positively alter the knowledge and awareness on cancer among the general public.

Keywords

• awareness
• cancer
• educational interventions
• knowledge
• quasi-experiments