Published Paper Details:

Cancer as a disease is specially characterized by its early silent and chronic phases. Due to deceptive painless presentation at the very onset, its early diagnosis is often missed. Few types of Cancers can be screened at the onset of the early symptoms. Examples of such Cancers are breast and uterine cervical cancer in female where Mammography and Pap smear are used respectively. Understanding certain alarming signs can ensure early diagnosis which in turn improves treatment results. But such knowledge can be propagated in the society only by proper health communication through an appropriate media. This paper examines knowledge of cancer among the newly diagnosed cancer patients attending a Tertiary Cancer Centre of North East India located in the small hilly state of Tripura. The level of awareness of the patients, their profession and media usage were correlated for getting better directions for health communication. The study revealed that more intensive drive was needed to make the people properly aware about the alarming signs of cancer and about common screening tests. Use of television would serve as the most proper media in the studied population.