Factors Associated with the Detection of Childhood and Adolescent Cancer in Primary Health Care: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

• Published in: Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare Vol. 13; pp. 329 - 337
• Main Authors: Soares Martins, Quenia Camille, Gomes de Morais Fernandes, Fábia Cheyenne, Pereira Santos, Viviane Euzébia, Guerra Azevedo, Ingrid, Góes de Carvalho Nascimento, Lamech Simplício, Dos Santos Xavier, Cynthia Cibelle, Alves Pereira, Silvana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Abdomen; Analysis; Cancer; Cancer diagnosis; Cancer research; Cancer treatment; Care and treatment; Childhood; Childhood cancer; Children & youth; Committees; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; early diagnosis; Education; Families & family life; Health care reform; Health education; Investments; Knowledge; Medical diagnosis; Medical personnel; Medical personnel training; Nervous system; Nurses; Original Research; Pain; Pediatrics; Physicians; Primary care; Primary care nursing; Primary health care; Professional ethics; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Teenagers; Brazil; Portugal; early diagnosis; primary health care; cancer
• ISSN: 1178-2390; 1178-2390
• DOI: 10.2147/JMDH.S225641

The treatment of childhood cancer has achieved important advances evidencing a significant increase in overall survival; however, the diagnosis of these cases still seems late. Among the main causes for the delay in diagnosis are the issues related to the health system and the first professional who performs the care. The objective of this study is to evaluate the knowledge of primary care physicians and nurses about the most common signs and symptoms of pediatric cancers, as well as the factors related to the obtained scores. This is a prospective cross-sectional study, developed in municipalities in the northeastern region of Brazil. Fifty-one professionals (physicians and nurses) were interviewed through a questionnaire structured as a quiz game about knowledge, training and attitudes regarding the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of professional characteristics on the number of correct answers on the implemented questionnaire on knowledge of childhood and adolescent cancer. In the bivariate analysis, the results indicated that the type of employment relationship influences the number of correct answers in the questionnaire used. However, when adjusted for covariates, only the professional category, which means being a medical professional, showed a significant effect on the number of correct answers (β=-7.50, p=0.001). The type of employment relationship of medical professionals and nurses working in primary care had an influence on the number of correct answers for knowledge of childhood and adolescent cancer, but only the professional category (physician) was associated with the highest number when controlled by covariables, thereby justifying the need to improve the curricular training of nurses and greater investments in primary health care for continuing health education that includes infant and adolescent oncology.