Table 1.
Descriptive data for the study population (N = 325)
| Variable | Number | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Sex | ||
| Male | 186 | 57.2 |
| Female | 139 | 42.8 |
| Age | ||
| 30–39 years | 37 | 11.4 |
| 40–49 years | 69 | 21.2 |
| 50–59 years | 97 | 29.8 |
| 60–69 years | 79 | 24.3 |
| ≥ 70 years | 43 | 13.2 |
| Race | ||
| Sinhala | 290 | 89.2 |
| Tamil | 17 | 5.2 |
| Moor | 16 | 4.9 |
| Burger | 2 | 0.6 |
| Religion | ||
| Buddhism | 210 | 64.6 |
| Hindu | 12 | 3.7 |
| Islam | 16 | 4.9 |
| Christian | 87 | 26.8 |
| Living area | ||
| Urban | 260 | 80.0 |
| Rural | 65 | 20.0 |
| Educational status | ||
| No education | 3 | 0.9 |
| Grade 1- Advanced Level | 225 | 69.2 |
| Advanced Level completed | 69 | 21.2 |
| Technical/Professional/Diploma | 13 | 4.0 |
| University education or above | 15 | 4.6 |
| Marital status | ||
| Unmarried | 27 | 8.3 |
| Married/living together | 262 | 80.6 |
| Marries and living separately | 5 | 1.5 |
| Divorced or widowed | 31 | 9.5 |
| Family history of colorectal cancer among first degree relatives | ||
| Yes | 22 | 6.8 |
| No | 303 | 93.2 |
| Family history of other cancers among first degree relatives | ||
| Breast cancer | 14 | 4.3 |
| Ovarian cancer | 1 | 0.3 |
| Uterine cancer | 7 | 2.2 |
| Prostate cancer | 2 | 0.6 |
| Other types of cancers | 9 | 2.8 |
| Smoking status | ||
| Never actively smoked | 230 | 70.8 |
| Active smoking in the past | 50 | 15.4 |
| Active smoking past and present | 35 | 10.8 |
| Passive smoking only | 10 | 3.1 |