Knowledge of Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines and Perceptions of Barriers among Nursing and Medical Students in a Jordanian University

Background and Objective: Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer among Jordanian men and women. The rate of CRC screening utilization is low related mainly to inadequate knowledge. The aim of the study was to evaluate medical and nursing students knowledge of CRC screening, examining the relationship between their level of knowledge and their sociodemographic characteristics and assess their perception of barriers to CRC screening. Materials and Methods: Cross sectional design was used with a convenience sample of 450 medical and nursing students studying at one Jordanian university. The study involved participant's completion of a self-administered questionnaire including socio-demographics, CRC screening knowledge and perception of CRC screening barriers. Result: The majority of students (65.1%) had poor knowledge of CRC screening guidelines. Knowledge scores significantly increased as age and academic level of students increased. Top patient related barriers were fear of outcomes, lack of awareness and anxiety while system related barriers included cost of examination and dates of appointment. Conclusion: The results of this study concluded, stress is the need for enhancing curriculum and educational support by revisiting components.