This study evaluated Cancer Research UK's “Talk Cancer” training workshop, which was developed to help frontline public health staff and volunteers have conversations with the public about cancer prevention, screening, and early diagnosis. The workshop aimed to improve awareness of cancer risk factors and screening programmes, promote more positive beliefs about cancer, and increase confidence to discuss cancer-related topics with members of the public. The evaluation followed 178 trainees before training, immediately after training, and two months later to assess whether any improvements were sustained over time.
The workshop successfully improved cancer-related beliefs. Participants were less likely to view cancer as a death sentence, less likely to avoid talking about cancer, and more likely to believe that early diagnosis improves treatment outcomes. These improvements were maintained two months after training.
Confidence in discussing cancer increased substantially immediately after training and remained high at follow-up. Participants reported greater confidence discussing cancer generally, cancer prevention, lifestyle changes, and what people should do if they notice unusual or persistent symptoms.
Awareness of many cancer risk factors improved immediately after the workshop. Participants showed better recognition of the links between cancer and alcohol consumption, dietary factors, obesity, physical inactivity, older age, and sunburn. Awareness of common cancer myths also improved.
Improvements in awareness were not always fully maintained over time. Although awareness at two months remained higher than before training for most risk factors, improvements were only maintained for sunburn and two cancer myths. Knowledge had declined from the immediate post-training level particularly for modifiable lifestyle risk factors.
Awareness of the national bowel cancer screening programme increased after training and remained significantly higher at two-month follow-up. Awareness that there are no national screening programmes for oral, skin, and prostate cancer also improved, although these gains were not fully sustained over time. Awareness of breast and cervical screening programmes was high throughout.
Most participants (86%) reported applying what they had learned in their role, and 59% reported having more conversations about cancer prevention and early diagnosis since completing the workshop. These conversations were most commonly with service users, patients, colleagues, and family members.
This study provides evidence that cancer awareness training can strengthen the wider public health workforce's ability to support cancer prevention and early diagnosis. By improving confidence and reducing fatalistic beliefs about cancer, Talk Cancer may help staff feel more comfortable initiating conversations about cancer during routine interactions with the public. The findings suggest that training can help address commonly reported barriers to cancer conversations among frontline staff, including lack of confidence, knowledge, and skills.
The findings are particularly important because public awareness of cancer risk factors is often poor, and cancer-related fatalism can discourage participation in screening, delay help-seeking, and reduce engagement with cancer prevention behaviours. Equipping frontline staff with the confidence and skills to discuss cancer may therefore support broader public health goals relating to prevention and earlier diagnosis. However, the results also suggest that knowledge-based improvements may require ongoing reinforcement. While confidence and beliefs remained improved at follow-up, awareness of several cancer risk factors declined over time. This indicates that refresher training, ongoing communications, webinars, or other continuing learning opportunities may help sustain knowledge gains and maximise the long-term impact of training.
Overall, the study suggests that Talk Cancer is an effective workforce development intervention that can support the implementation of approaches such as Making Every Contact Count by helping staff feel more able to engage the public in conversations about cancer prevention, screening, and early diagnosis.
Read in full on the Science Direct websiteAnna L Roberts, Leanne Crook, Helen George, Kirstie Osborne.
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