Knowledge and awareness of colorectal cancer among a predominantly Indigenous Caribbean community.

OBJECTIVE: To assess awareness levels and knowledge of colorectal cancer (CRC) and CRC screening among an Indigenous Caribbean community. METHODS: A community-based participatory research project was developed to perform a needs assessment of cancer prevention and education in an Indigenous non-metropolitan community in Dominica. Purposive sampling occurred at a local health clinic. Data was collected from 58 eligible patients via a 57-item structured interview. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and demographic correlates of CRC knowledge and awareness were assessed using chi-square and Fisher Exact tests. RESULTS: Of 58 participants, 72.4% identified as Indigenous, and 36.5% had heard of CRC. Most respondents (96.1%) believed CRC screening to be "important," yet only 3.0% of those who were age eligible had received screening in the prior 10 years, and 12.5% knew how to get screened. More respondents with incomes over $5,000 ECD had heard of CRC (72.2%) compared to those who had not (21.7%), and those who were unsure (16.7%, p < 0.01). Among those with a family cancer history, 14.3% knew how to get tested for CRC, 60.0% did not, and 25.0% were unsure (p < 0.03). CONCLUSION: Despite limited familiarity with CRC screening, participants broadly believed CRC screening to be important. Health education research is needed to develop patient-centered, culturally appropriate materials about CRC screening and prevention. Future work facilitating productive community partnerships and incorporating prevailing community traditions may align cancer prevention and education initiatives with community priorities.

Awareness and Knowledge of HPV, HPV Vaccination, and Cervical Cancer among an Indigenous Caribbean Community.

Caribbean women experience a cervical cancer incidence rate that is three times higher than that among their North American counterparts. In this study, we performed a needs assessment of the knowledge and awareness of HPV, HPV vaccination, and cervical cancer and receipt of cervical cancer screening among an indigenous Caribbean community. We purposively recruited individuals aged ≥18 from a community health care clinic (n = 58) to complete a 57-item structured interview including items on demographics, cancer history, knowledge and awareness of HPV, HPV vaccines, cervical cancer, and cervical cancer screening. Participants' mean age was 47.1 years (SD: 14.4). Most were female (74.1%), were married/partnered (51.7%), had primary education (63.8%), and identified as Kalinago (72.4%). Whereas 79.5% had heard of cervical cancer, few had heard of HPV (19.6%) or the HPV vaccine (21.8%). Among those who knew someone with cancer, 90.9% had heard of the HPV vaccine, compared with only 9.1% of those who did not know anyone with cancer (p = 0.02). Access to HPV vaccination is an immediate, cost-effective cancer prevention priority for reducing the disproportionate burden of HPV-related cancers, particularly cervical cancer, in the Caribbean. We recommend culturally targeted education interventions to improve knowledge about HPV vaccination and the link between HPV and cervical cancer.