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G. Ak
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MINI 24 - Epidemiology, Early Detection, Biology (ID 140)
- Event: WCLC 2015
- Type: Mini Oral
- Track: Thymoma, Mesothelioma and Other Thoracic Malignancies
- Presentations: 1
- Moderators:J. Creaney, M. Carbone
- Coordinates: 9/08/2015, 16:45 - 18:15, 102+104+106
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MINI24.03 - Asbestos Knowledge and Awareness Level (ID 2610)
16:55 - 17:00 | Author(s): G. Ak
- Abstract
- Presentation
Background:
Asbestos is an important carcinogen and people can be exposed to asbestos either occupationally or environmentally. There is naturally occurring asbestos in some regions of Turkey. The soil including asbestos was commonly used for plastering, whitewashing and roofing to build village house in these regions. The aim of this study is to determine knowledge and awareness level of people about asbestos in a region of Turkey where asbestos related diseases is endemic due to environmental exposure to asbestos in the rural area.
Methods:
The study is a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study included patients and their relatives admitted to a tertiary hospital in Eskisehir located central part of Turkey, in 2015. The questionnaire was applied by face-to-face interview after verbal consent from each participant. The questionnaire included 19 questions. The data was determined by percent and confidence interval. Chi-square test was used to compare the groups and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determinate variables affecting knowledge level of asbestos.
Results:
A total number of 505 participants were included in this study. The mean age of them was 52.6±15.2 years (15-89) and 51.9% of them were male. About 41.2% of participants were born in the rural area and 14.5% of them still live in the villages. The educational status: 8.3% never, 55.7% elementary school; 19.0% secondary school; 17% university. About 4.4% of the participants were unemployed, 13.5% official, 20.8% worker, 2.8% farmer, 34.5% housewife and 24.2% others including retired, barber etc. About 76.4% of the participants who live in the villages had history of asbestos-contaminated soil in their villages. Only 20.5% of the group knew that white soil included asbestos. About 3.5% of the group mentioned that asbestos was useful, 44.1% harmful, 3.5% ineffective and the rest of them had no idea. Regarding the knowledge about asbestos related diseases among them, 34.9% stated that asbestos can cause lung cancer, 18.3% benign pleural or lung diseases and 23.1% mesothelioma. Most of the participants who never live in the village or moved to the city (62.9%) stated that asbestos was harmful and 30.9% had no idea. About 53.1% of them mentioned that asbestos can cause lung cancer, 26.9% benign pleural or lung diseases and 33.5% mesothelioma. In this group, the rate of true answers regarding usage of asbestos at workplace was 12.9% (8%-20%). Their knowledge about environmental usage of asbestos was low (16.6%) in this group. More than half of the participants (53.5%) pointed out that it is necessary to avoid from asbestos. The factors affecting knowledge level of asbestos were found to be young (p=0.016), live in the city (p=0.016) and high education level (p<0.001) by multiple logistic regression analysis.
Conclusion:
Although approximately 30 years passed after the first scientific report about hazards of environmental asbestos exposure on the respiratory system in this region, knowledge and awareness level of asbestos was quite low by sampling of this population. Health and environment authorities should inform the people as quickly and intensely about asbestos.
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