Awareness of Risk Factors, Warning Signs, Beliefs, and Practices Toward Gastric Cancer Screening among the General Population in Herat, Afghanistan: A Cross‐Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is a significant public health concern in Afghanistan, where limited awareness and delayed diagnosis may contribute to poor outcomes. This study assessed awareness of gastric cancer risk factors, warning signs, beliefs, and screening-related practices among the general population in Herat. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional convenience-based study was conducted from January to December 2024 using a structured, pilot-tested, face-to-face questionnaire among 389 participants in Herat. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests in SPSS version 27, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Overall, 57.1% of participants demonstrated high knowledge, and 53.2% showed high preventive practice regarding gastric cancer. High knowledge was significantly more common among participants with access to healthcare services than among those without such access (59.9% vs. 46.3%, p = 0.028), and among smokers compared with non-smokers (71.1% vs. 53.3%, p = 0.004). Preventive practice was significantly associated with age, education, occupation, and income. Younger participants aged 18-30 years reported better practice than older age groups (58.6% vs. 51.0% and 37.2%, p = 0.030), while higher practice was also observed among more educated and higher-income participants (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: More than half of the participants demonstrated adequate knowledge and preventive practices regarding gastric cancer. However, disparities by healthcare access and sociodemographic characteristics highlight the need for targeted educational interventions and improved access to screening and early detection services.