Ipsos Cancer Research Poll
A recent Ipsos poll conducted by Cancer Research UK and funded by Tesco found an apparent lack of awareness of the symptoms and signs of cancer amongst adults in Northern Ireland.
More than three quarters of people asked to list possible warning signs and symptoms failed to mention pain, with similar numbers failing to mention coughing or problems with their bowels or bladder. More than two thirds of the people questioned also failed to list bleeding, while less than one in five mentioned weight loss or mole changes as being a potential sign of cancer.
In addition, nearly half said they might delay getting symptoms checked out because they were worried what the doctor might find, and almost a third (31 per cent) might delay because they feared wasting the doctor’s time.The survey also revealed that when people in Northern Ireland were asked what they thought affected a person’s chance of developing cancer only 16 per cent mentioned being overweight and around one per cent listed old age as a factor. While 67 per cent said smoking affected cancer risk, only 12 per cent mentioned getting sunburnt.
Technical details
- Ipsos conducted 200 interviews with adults aged 16 plus in Northern Ireland on the weekend of Friday 10th February – Sunday 12th February 2012.
- Respondents were interviewed by telephone using Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing.
- Data is weighted by age, gender and working status to reflect the population profile of Northern Ireland.
