Awareness Regarding Cancer Danger Signs and Risk Factors among Ethnic Minor Populations in Bangladesh

Background: Individuals from ethnic minority communities are exposed to divergent carcinogenic risks, where heightened awareness can foster prevention and early detection of cancer. This study intended to assess the awareness status regarding cancer danger signs, risk factors and related healthcare-seeking behaviors among this population.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 65 adults from the Chakma ethnic community residing in the Rangamati Hill District. The data collection instrument was developed based on the questionnaire employed in the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) survey and information was collected through face-to-face interviews after obtaining informed written consent.
Results: The mean age of participants was 37.25 ± 10.56 years, with a predominant male representation of 60%. About 24.6%, 16.9%, 15.4% and 13.8% of the participants were unable to recognize an unexplained lump or swelling, persistent unexplained pain, a persistent difficulty swallowing and unexplained weight loss as cancer danger signs. Upon identifying any warning sign, 93.8% stated they would seek medical care within a month and the majority (84.1%) reported that they would obtain this care from a nearby health facility. 30.8% regarding less fruit and vegetable intake, 28% about family history, 27.7% about processed/red meat consumption, 21.5 % participants were unsure regarding obesity.
Conclusion: Results from this study revealed a low level of awareness regarding food habit and life-style related key cancer risk factors underscore the necessity of health education among ethnic minorities. Developing cancer-specific awareness programs and targeted risk-factor education to meet the needs of these populations could help reduce cancer incidence, promote earlier detection, and thereby contribute to reducing cancer-related mortality.