Canadians remain in the dark on the number one diagnosed cancer in the world.<\/p>\n
For more-than 30 years, the Breast Cancer Society of Canada has been the leading organization for breast cancer research. Today, the organization has rebranded to become Breast Cancer Canada, signaling a renewal in their commitment to research-driven change.<\/p>\n
With a focus on precision oncology, Breast Cancer Canada continues the ght to raise awareness about the number one diagnosed cancer in the world. Despite the pervasiveness of the disease, Canadians felt unprepared when they, or a loved one, received a breast cancer diagnosis \u2013 according to a new national survey by Breast Cancer Canada.<\/p>\n
The Know More Breast Cancer Survey, an Angus Reid study of 1508 Canadians, provides insights into the knowledge and understanding of breast cancer, revealing a disconnect between what Canadians know, and the research available.<\/p>\n
With pandemic restrictions being lifted, Canadians are left to deal with a backlog of personal medical demands as 50 per cent of people who responded stated they had delayed hospital visits during the pandemic. Additionally, almost 60 per cent of\u00a0respondents put off routine medical checkups over the past two years \u2013 women\u00a0being more likely than men to do so.<\/p>\n
Table: Canadians health habits during the pandemic<\/p>\n
| Health habits during the\u00a0<\/b>pandemic\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | Total\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | Male\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | Female\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | 18-34\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | 35-54\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | 55+<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n| I delayed hospital visits during the pandemic<\/td>\n | 50%<\/td>\n | 50%<\/td>\n | 50%<\/td>\n | 55%<\/td>\n | 48%<\/td>\n | 48%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | I feel I have lost ground with my health due to diagnostic delays during the pandemic<\/td>\n | 37%<\/td>\n | 36%<\/td>\n | 38%<\/td>\n | 43%<\/td>\n | 39%<\/td>\n | 32%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | I neglected urgent medical needs because of the pandemic<\/td>\n | 26%<\/td>\n | 25%<\/td>\n | 27%<\/td>\n | 32%<\/td>\n | 27%<\/td>\n | 20%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | I seek a second opinion when I receive any diagnosis<\/td>\n | 37%<\/td>\n | 39%<\/td>\n | 36%<\/td>\n | 43%<\/td>\n | 38%<\/td>\n | 33%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | I neglected routine medical checkups during the pandemic<\/td>\n | 59%<\/td>\n | 57%<\/td>\n | 61%<\/td>\n | 68%<\/td>\n | 59%<\/td>\n | 52%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n | \u201cGiven that one-in-eight women in Canada will develop breast cancer in their\u00a0lifetime, the results from our Angus Reid poll were shocking to see,\u201d said Kimberly\u00a0Carson, CEO of Breast Cancer Canada. \u201cWe conducted this survey to get a\u00a0benchmark of Canadian\u2019s knowledge and awareness of breast cancer and clearly\u00a0\u00a0there is an opportunity for Canadians to know more about the disease that affects us\u00a0all.\u201d<\/p>\n The study shows that 87 per cent of respondents diagnosed with breast cancer felt\u00a0unprepared when they or a loved one received their diagnosis. One-quarter (26%) of\u00a0women are not worried about getting breast cancer because it is not common in\u00a0their families and nearly six-in-10 men (57%) feel that they would lack the knowledge\u00a0of how to help, or where to look for help, if a woman in their life were diagnosed with\u00a0breast cancer.<\/p>\n On a positive note, 74 per cent of Canadians trust healthcare professionals to\u00a0properly identify, diagnose and treat cancer. Additionally, 68 per cent of Canadians\u00a0feel that their doctors are informed with the best or latest treatment information\u00a0and 59 per cent of Canadians have experienced the best and latest cancer treatment\u00a0available, either personally or someone they know.<\/p>\n Table: Knowledge and understanding of breast cancer<\/p>\n
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