Colorectal Cancer and the Role of the Gut Microbiota—Do Medical Students Know More Than Other Young People?—Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
Gut Microbiota and CRC
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Organization and Eligibility Criteria
2.2. Study Procedure and Research Tool
2.3. Interpretation of the Tools Used
- ≤25%—very low level of knowledge,
- 26–50%—low level of knowledge,
- 51–75%—medium level of knowledge,
- >75%—high level of knowledge.
2.4. Statistical Compilation
3. Results
3.1. Students’ Knowledge of Microbiota and CRC
3.1.1. Microbiota
3.1.2. Colorectal Cancer
3.2. Knowledge Level of Surveyed Students
4. Discussion
5. Strengths and Limitations
6. Conclusions
- As indicated by the results of the study, the awareness of the population of young adults about the microbiota in terms of colorectal cancer in the example of students from the Silesian province is unsatisfactory.
- The highest level of awareness of microbiota and CRC was demonstrated by students of the Silesian Medical University in Katowice. A significantly lower level of knowledge was characterized by the surveyed students of the University of Silesia and the Silesian University of Technology. The differences shown were due to the presence of issues related to microbiota and colorectal cancer in the context of medical education.
- There was also a significantly higher awareness of the microbiota in the aspect of colorectal cancer among respondents burdened with chronic diseases relative to healthy study participants.
- There was no significant effect of variables such as place of residence, age, or BMI value on the awareness of the young adult population about the microbiota in terms of colorectal cancer.
- It is worth considering the possibility of more educational activities aimed at young adults in the prevention of cancer, including colorectal cancer, especially in the population without medical education.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variables (n—Number of Subjects (%)) | University 1 | n—Number of Results (% of n2) | |
---|---|---|---|
Gender | Women 437 (77%) | US | 234 (83%) |
PolSL | 116 (64%) | ||
SUM | 87 (81%) | ||
Men 134 (23%) | US | 49 (17%) | |
PolSL | 65 (36%) | ||
SUM | 20 (19%) | ||
Residence | City 441 (77%) | US | 232 (82%) |
PolSL | 132 (73%) | ||
SUM | 77 (72%) | ||
Village 130 (23%) | US | 50 (18%) | |
PolSL | 50 (27%) | ||
SUM | 30 (28%) | ||
Body Mass Index (BMI) | Underweight 65 (11%) | US | 39 (14%) |
PolSL | 10 (6%) | ||
SUM | 16 (15%) | ||
Normal weight 364 (64%) | US | 175 (62%) | |
PolSL | 118 (65%) | ||
SUM | 71 (66%) | ||
Pre-obesity 105 (18%) | US | 56 (20%) | |
PolSL | 33 (18%) | ||
SUM | 16 (15%) | ||
Obesity I° 21 (4%) | US | 7 (3%) | |
PolSL | 11 (6%) | ||
SUM | 3 (3%) | ||
Obesity II° 6 (1%) | US | 0 (0%) | |
PolSL | 6 (1%) | ||
SUM | 0 (0%) 0 (0%) | ||
Obesity III° 3 (1%) | US | 2 (1%) | |
PolSL | 1 (1%) | ||
SUM | 0 (0%) | ||
Chronic diseases | Yes 114 (20%) | US | 58 (20%) |
PolSL | 37 (20%) | ||
SUM | 19 (18%) | ||
No 457 (80%) | US | 225 (80%) | |
PolSL | 144 (80%) | ||
SUM | 88 (82%) |
Question | University 1,2 | The Number of Correct Answers n (%) | All of the Correct Answers (%) |
---|---|---|---|
What is microbiota? | US | 88 (31%) | 220 (39%) |
PolSL | 60 (33%) | ||
SUM | 72 (67%) | ||
p-value—Kruskal Wallis test p = 0.0001 | |||
What is a probiotic? | US | 195 (69%) | 409 (72%) |
PolSL | 121 (67%) | ||
SUM | 93 (87%) | ||
p-value—Kruskal Wallis test p = 0.005 | |||
What is a prebiotic? | US | 172 (61%) | 370 (65%) |
PolSL | 108 (60%) | ||
SUM | 90 (84%) | ||
p-value—Kruskal Wallis test p = 0.0001 | |||
What factors have a beneficial effect on the gut microbiota? | US | 190 (67%) | 420 (74%) |
PolSL | 128 (71%) | ||
SUM | 102 (95%) | ||
p-value—Kruskal Wallis test p = 0.0001 | |||
Please indicate the most important factor affecting the regularity of the gut microbiota. | US | 261 (92%) | 517 (91%) |
PolSL | 161 (89%) | ||
SUM | 95 (89%) | ||
p-value—Kruskal Wallis test p = 0.37 NS (not statistically significant) |
Question | University 1 | The Number of Correct Answers (n) | % of n 2 | All of the Correct Answers (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|
What is a precancerous condition of the colon? | US | 165 | 58% | 355 (62%) |
PolSL | 101 | 56% | ||
SUM | 89 | 83% | ||
p-value—Kruskal Wallis test p = 0.0001 | ||||
Is the incidence of colorectal cancer gender-specific? | US | 70 | 25% | 172 (30%) |
PolSL | 35 | 19% | ||
SUM | 67 | 63% | ||
p-value—Kruskal Wallis test p = 0.0001 |
University | Level of Knowledge | n—Number of Results | % of n |
---|---|---|---|
University of Silesia in Katowice | Very low | 5 | 2% |
Low | 66 | 23% | |
Medium | 166 | 59% | |
High | 46 | 16% | |
Silesian University of Technology | Very low | 8 | 4% |
Low | 39 | 22% | |
Medium | 103 | 57% | |
High | 31 | 17% | |
Medical University of Silesia | Very low | 0 | 0 |
Low | 4 | 4% | |
Medium | 37 | 34% | |
High | 66 | 62% | |
χ2 NW = 96.51079 | p-value = 0.0001 | Vc (Cramér's V) = 0.3 |
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Helisz, P.; Dziubanek, G.; Krupa-Kotara, K.; Gwioździk, W.; Grajek, M.; Głogowska-Ligus, J. Colorectal Cancer and the Role of the Gut Microbiota—Do Medical Students Know More Than Other Young People?—Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients 2022, 14, 4185. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14194185
Helisz P, Dziubanek G, Krupa-Kotara K, Gwioździk W, Grajek M, Głogowska-Ligus J. Colorectal Cancer and the Role of the Gut Microbiota—Do Medical Students Know More Than Other Young People?—Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients. 2022; 14(19):4185. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14194185
Chicago/Turabian StyleHelisz, Paulina, Grzegorz Dziubanek, Karolina Krupa-Kotara, Weronika Gwioździk, Mateusz Grajek, and Joanna Głogowska-Ligus. 2022. "Colorectal Cancer and the Role of the Gut Microbiota—Do Medical Students Know More Than Other Young People?—Cross-Sectional Study" Nutrients 14, no. 19: 4185. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14194185