Gynecology & Obstetrics
Open Access

Abstract

Assessment of Women’s Knowledge of Endometrial Cancer

Ritu Salani, Marium Husain, Benjamin Oldach and Mira L Katz

Background: The objective of our study was to assess women’s awareness and knowledge of risk factors and symptoms associated with endometrial cancer.

Methods: A convenience sample of women waiting at clinics (general internal medicine, gynecology, and diabetes) was asked to complete a questionnaire focused on risk factors, symptoms, and concerns about endometrial cancer.

Results: A total of 161 women participated in this survey study (June 2010-January 2011). The majority of women (67.3%) did not know or did not perceive themselves to be at risk for endometrial cancer, and nearly two-thirds (62.7%) did not worry about developing endometrial cancer. Participants (n=45) with a selfreported history of diabetes mellitus (DM) were more likely to report not knowing symptoms of endometrial cancer (46.7% vs. 25.9%; p<0.05) and that they did not know any health behavior to reduce their risk of endometrial cancer compared to participants without a history of DM (20.0% vs. 6.0%; p<0.01). Women reported that their most trusted source of health information was from their physicians.

Conclusions: Women lack knowledge about risk factors and symptoms of endometrial cancer. Developing educational materials and programs focused on endometrial cancer risk factors and symptoms in addition to providing strategies to improve patient-provider communication about risk factors and symptoms is important, particularly for high-risk women.