Inadequate Knowledge Levels of Turkish Male University Students about Testicular Self-Examination

Abstract

Introduction: Testicular cancer occurs in men aged between 15-35, accounting for 1% of all male cancers. The most common symptom is a painless swelling in the early period, so it is important for individuals to be conscious about and perform testicular self-examination. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and performance of testicular self-examination (TSE) in male university students. Methods: The target population of the study consisted of 275 male university students aged between 20-25. Data were collected using a 27 item-questionnaire developed by the investigators consisting of 3 sections: 1) socio-demographic characteristics; 2) risk factors for testicular cancer; 3) practices related to TSE. The data obtained were analyzed using frequency distribution and percentages. Results: 88% of the students (n=242) reported having no knowledge of TSE, whereas 36% (n=12) of the remaining 12% (n=33) reported having performed TSE. With regard to the reasons for non-performance, 88% (n=242) of the participants said they did not know about TSE, 6% (n=17) said they did not attach importance to TSE and 4% (n=11) were afraid. Conclusion: The results of our study demonstrated that adolescent males should be educated by nurses about testicular tumors and their symptoms as well as TSE performance.