Grant: Team Grant: GACD Primary and Secondary Prevention of Cancer - General

Liver Cancer caused by liver flukes is very common in Khon Kaen Thailand. People get infected with the liver fluke when they eat raw fish that is infected with the fluke. There have been many programs that have tried to prevent this type of cancer. However, it remains a common problem especially in the Northern parts of Thailand. Researchers from Khon Kaen University have created a Community-Based Health Education and Communication (CHEC) program to prevent intake of raw fish in the communities in Khon Kaen. They have found that this program has improved the knowledge and behaviour of community residents regarding eating raw fish which is part of how the liver fluke infects humans. In our research we plan to improve the CHEC program and test it in communities in Khon Kaen Thailand. We intend to do an experiment to give the program in some communities in Khon Kaen. We will compare the knowledge and behaviours regarding liver cancer among residents living in communities that received the program and those who live in communities that did not receive the program. We also intend to compare the quality of life of residents living in communities with the program versus the residents in communities without the program. We believe that an enhanced Community-Based Health Education and Communication (eCHEC) Model can improve the knowledge and behavior of people living the communities regarding prevention of liver flukes and liver cancer. The new eCHEC model will include ways to reduce the key aggravating factors (raw fish consumption, liquor consumption, and praziquantel intake) as well as to improve the protective factors (fresh vegetable consumption). If the program is effective, we will share our results with local health leaders and politicians so that this program can be spread out to more communities that have many cases of liver fluke and liver cancer.