Assessment of knowledge in the field of cancer and selected health-promoting behaviors among patients with advanced, metastatic lung cancer during chemotherapy

Introduction: Neoplastic diseases are the second leading cause of death in developed countries. Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world and also the most common cancer depending on environmental factors (smoking).

Aim: Evaluation of oncological knowledge and health behaviors of patients with lung cancer in relation to social and demographic factors.

Material and methods: The study group consisted of 204 patients with metastatic lung cancer treated between May 2010 to December 2015 in two centers. The mean age of patients was 66 years. We rated knowledge of respondents in the field of cancer and health lifestyle with method of diagnostic survey, using the Behavioral Health Inventory (BHI) by Z. Juczyński. These results were compared with those obtained from healthy subjects matched for age, education and gender.

Results: The general level of knowledge on cancer and the level of severity of health behaviors was low. Patients had a lower level of knowledge of cancer and BHI standardized value and the value obtained by the control group. It has been proven the association between the state of knowledge concerning cancer and readiness to adopt attitudes and healthy behaviors by lung cancer patients.

The level of health practices was significantly higher in people with higher education, non-smokers, in women and in people with a higher knowledge of oncology. 90% of lung cancer patients were cigarette smokers.

Conclusions: The level of knowledge of patients with lung cancer, which was observed in clinical practice is associated with the severity of health behavior.