Introduction:

This survey was designed to analyze and

evaluate participants understanding of colon
cancer and colon cancer screening.
Audience:
This survey was given to all audiences
above the age of 16 so I can understand
peoples understanding or concern for
personal health. One of my main targets,
however, was to gather results from
individuals who were above the age of 50,
which is the recommended age for
individuals to receive a colonoscopy. I
collected surveys from a total of 67 people.
Collection of Data:
To gather data, I created my survey through
a website called Survey Planet. I shared the
link to my survey via social networking sites
like Facebook. I also asked family friends to
participate in the survey and to share the
survey with their peers.

Hypotheses:
1. Over 75 percent of the participants of
the survey would not be aware that
colon cancer is the second leading
cause of cancer-related deaths in the
United States (Center of Disease
Control and Prevention).
2. Over half of the participants over the
age of 50 would answer that they
have not undergone a colonoscopy.
3. Over 2/3 of the participants would
state that they are unaware of the
screening methods for colon cancer.

Survey Questions:
Q1: What is your gender?
Q2: What is your age?
Q3: What is your level of education?
A. High School
B. College Graduate
C. Professional Graduate
D. Other:______________
Q4: Do you have a professional medical
background?
A. Yes
B. No
Q5: Colon Cancer is the 3rd most common
cancer in men and women True / False
Q6: Colon Cancer is the second leading
cause of cancer-related deaths in the United
States. True / False
Q7: Most people diagnosed with colon
cancer have symptoms. True / False
Q8: Are you familiar with colon cancer
screening methods?
A. Yes
B. No
Q9: At what age does colon cancer
screening start?
A. 30
B. 40
C. 50
D. 60
E. 70
Q10: Have you heard about a colonoscopy?
A. Yes
B. No
Q11: Have you undergone a colonoscopy, a
diagnostic procedure that examines inside

the colon and serves a vital part in colon

cancer screening?
A. Yes
B. No
Q12: What are your reasons for not going
through a colonoscopy? (Select all that
apply) If other, then please provide
comment.
A. The bowel prep
B. I dont have time
C. I do not have anything wrong with
me to need one
D. Prior bad experience with someone I
know
Q13: Colon cancer screening can save
your life. True/False
Data:
Measure of Participants (Ages 50 and
Older) Who Have Had a Colonoscopy
36.84% Have Not Received A
Colonoscopy

37%
63%

yes
no

Most people diagnosed with colon cancer have symptoms.

60
40
20
0
TRUE FALSE

18 participants selected true while 49

selected false
Almost 30 percent believe people
diagnosed with colon cancer present
symptoms of the disease/cancer.
Other Data Statistics:
83 percent agreed that colon cancer is the 3rd
most common cancer in men and women.
70.1% of the participants agreed that colon
cancer is the second leading cause of cancerrelated deaths in the United States.

aged 50 and above would answer that they

have not undergone a colonoscopy, my
results directly correlate and link to CDCs
report that About 1 in 3 adults (23 million)
between 50 and 75 years old is not getting
tested. Many of the participants, in spite of
understanding that an individual can have
cancer without symptoms, wrote that they
did not need to have a colonoscopy because
they have nothing wrong with them.
However, it is important for individuals to
understand that symptoms of the disease
start to appear when colon cancer becomes
harder to treat. Although 100 percent of the
participants, regardless of age, agreed that
screening can save lives, physicians and
medical professionals should continue to
educate the patients about colon cancer and
screening guidelines. The data results also
confirm and prove that individuals need to
take action to protect their personal health
and go through the necessary screening
when they reach the recommended age of 50
years old.

About 40 percent of the participants selected

that colon cancer screening starts at an age
other than 50.

Conclusion: From this survey, I

was able to gather a lot of
information about peoples awareness and
understanding of colon cancer. I also learned
that how important my target audience is to
the result. Many of the participants ended up
having a medical background which had
influenced my results of having a large
percent familiar with colon cancer
screening. Although my original
hypothesis, that over half of participants

A Colonoscope

Colon Cancer
Awareness
Survey
By Arjun Luthra
ISM Fall Semester 2015
Period 6