Kenyan Youth Understanding of Cancer, Cancer Risk and Cancer Prevention: An Ethnographic Study

Background: Cancer incidence and mortality continues to rise worldwide including in Kenya. Among the groups that are likely to get cancer in future are Kenyan youth that engage in behavior that can increase their lifetime cancer risk. Despite this awareness, little is known about Kenyan youthu0027s understanding of cancer, cancer risk, and cancer prevention. Such awareness is needed to inform germane cancer prevention and health promotion initiatives. Aim: The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore Kenyan youthu0027s understanding of cancer, cancer risk, and cancer prevention. Methods: Fifty-three youth (ages 12-19) took part in individual interviews and focus group discussions. Results: In their conceptualization of cancer, youth described cancer in ways that are grouped into two themes: there is no other disease like it and lay understanding through metaphors. In their conceptualization of cancer risk, youth described cancer in ways that are grouped as cancer risk as lifestyle factors and the process...