Knowledge, perception and screening of local dye workers regarding urinary bladder cancer in Ghana

Background Cancer is the leading cause of death with 7.6 million deaths worldwide annually. About 19% of bladder cancer cases are attributed to environmental and occupational factors. The knowledge of any disease is very vital in the control or prevention of such disease. This study examined the knowledge and perception of urinary bladder cancer among 104 local dye workers in Ghana (Kumasi, Koforidua and Somanya). Methods A well-structured questionnaire was used to measure participants' knowledge and perception towards bladder cancer. Forty out of the 104 participants were recruited to provide their urine samples for cytomorphological study. Thin smears were prepared and stained with Papanicolaou stain. Respondents were selected based on clinical history and working experience. Result The response rate to the questionnaires was 100% of the 104 respondents interviewed. The respondents had a mean age of 26 years. Overall, about 10% of the respondents in this study had good knowledge levels on bladder cancer and 16% had good perception of the disease. There was a significant correlation between knowledge and educational level of the participants (p < 0.001). Report of the cytomorphological study indicates that none of the samples of the participants screened had cancerous cells. Conclusion The findings suggest that level of knowledge about bladder cancer among local dye workers in this study was low, while their level of perception was just above average.