Health literacy of the Czech population concerning cancer prevention

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the Czech Republic. Several risk factors and an unsatisfactory level of health literacy in this area significantly contribute to this situation. This paper aims to point out the current state of awareness and interest in preventive activities related to cancer among the Czech population aged 18+ and the level of knowledge about cancer prevention. As part of the empirical investigation, a quantitative survey using an electronic questionnaire with 35 questions of our own design was used. The questionnaire survey was conducted from January 16 to February 14, 2025. The research group included 180 people aged 18+. The obtained data were processed in the MS Office Excel program. When it comes tocancer prevention, the results indicate that the knowledge of the Czech population aged 18+ is unbalanced. The level of knowledge increases with the increasing level of education. Women show a higher interest in prevention, and as respondents' age increases, interest in prevention decreases. More significant gaps in knowledge appear in relation to screening programs and the frequency of preventive examinations. Our findings point to the necessity of repeated education and the development of educational activities to help increase awareness of the importance of cancer prevention. At the same time, they point to the necessity of effective and repeated education in older age categories, where the risk of developing some cancers may be more significant.