Risk factors associated with paediatric leukemia – a preliminary study amongst parents

KISTER, Klaudia, LASKOWSKI, Jakub, MAZUR, Magdalena, SZABRAŃSKA, Anna, BRONST, Paulina, CZECHOWSKA, Julia, ROSA, Lidia, ZACH-ŹRÓDLAK, Monika, MAŁOLEPSZA, Aleksandra and REKTOR, Natalia. Risk factors associated with paediatric leukemia – a preliminary study amongst parents. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2023;44(1):56-73. eISSN 2391-8306. http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2023.44.01.004

https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/44171

https://zenodo.org/record/8240166

 

 

 

 

 

The journal has had 40 points in Ministry of Education and Science of Poland parametric evaluation. Annex to the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science of 17.07.2023 No. 32318. Has a Journal's Unique Identifier: 201159. Scientific disciplines assigned: Physical Culture Sciences (Field of Medical sciences and health sciences); Health Sciences (Field of Medical Sciences and Health Sciences).

Punkty Ministerialne z 2019 - aktualny rok 40 punktów. Załącznik do komunikatu Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z dnia 17.07.2023 Lp. 32318. Posiada Unikatowy Identyfikator Czasopisma: 201159.

Przypisane dyscypliny naukowe: Nauki o kulturze fizycznej (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu); Nauki o zdrowiu (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu).

© The Authors 2023;

This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

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The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.

Received: 18.07.2023. Revised:10.08.2023. Accepted: 11.08.2023. Published: 18.08.2023.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Risk factors associated with paediatric leukemia – a preliminary study amongst parents

Czynniki ryzyka białaczek wieku dziecięcego – badanie wstępne wśród rodziców

 

 

 

Klaudia Kister

Students Research Group at the I Departmentof Psychiatry, Psychoterapy and Early Intervention,Medical University of Lublin

 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2058-5395

Jakub Laskowski

Student Scientific Club at the Department of Hematology, Oncology and Children's Transplantology Medical University of Lublin Provincial Specialist Hospital in Lublin

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9547-0608

Magdalena Mazur

Provincial Hospital in Kielce, 45 Grunwaldzka Street, 25-736 Kielce, Poland

 https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8918-2468

Anna Szabrańska

University Clinical Hospital of the Military Academy of Medicine - Central Veterans Hospital 113 Żeromskiego Street, 90-549 Łódź

 https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3470-5573

Paulina Bronst

Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski Provincial Specialist Hospital Independent Public Health Care Center in Lublin, 100 Kraśnicka Ave.

 https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5405-5660

Julia Czechowska

Medical University of Lublin

 https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4792-4091

Lidia Rosa

Independent Public Health Care Facility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration in Łódź Północna 42 Street, 91-425 Łódź

 https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1780-4113

Monika Zach-Źródlak

M. Kopernik Regional Multispecialty Oncology and Traumatology Center in Lodz 62 Pabianicka St, 93-513 Lodz

 https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3754-4903

Aleksandra Małolepsza

Bonifraters Medical Center sp. z o.o Branch in Krakow, 11 Trynitarska St., 31-061 Krakow

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0645-7824

Natalia Rektor

University Clinical Hospital of the Military Academy of Medicine - Central Veterans Hospital 113 Żeromskiego Street, 90-549 Łódź.

 https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2910-9452

 

Abstract

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common leukemia seen among pediatric patients. Exposure to agents such as pesticides, tobacco smoke, solvents, and air pollution associated with traffic, factories, and incinerators is consistently associated with an increased risk of developing childhood leukemia. The purpose of this article is to attempt to assess the knowledge of parents of oncology patients about possible risk factors for the development of ALL acute lymphoblastic leukemia and the need for educational campaigns to increase cancer awareness in the community.

Material and methods: For the study, the authors created a structured questionnaire that included 15 questions. The printed questionnaire was then distributed to parents staying with their children in the pediatric oncology and hematology department and the hematology-oncology outpatient clinic at 2 clinical hospitals in Poland. The survey was conducted from February to May 2023.

 

Results: The study group was formed by 256 people. 13% of respondents believe that breastfeeding increases a child's risk of leukemia. One in three questioned pointed to vaccinations as a possible trigger for cancer. The majority of respondents consider care facilities such as the nursery as exposure to the development of leukemia. The vast majority of respondents are dissatisfied with their knowledge of proliferative diseases.

Conclusions: The overall level of parents' knowledge of leukemia risk factors is inadequate. A large percentage of respondents indicate vaccination as a risk factor for the development of ALL There is a need for educational campaigns on childhood cancer. There is a need to verify the sources of medical knowledge used by patients, especially on the Internet.

 

Keywords: prophylaxis, leukemia, oncology, health care