Residents can now get an assessment of their own cancer risks online, thanks to a new website and app from Cancer Care Ontario.
It's called My Cancer IQ, and asks questions about age, gender and lifestyle before assessing a person's risk for lung, colorectal, cervical or breast cancer.
Regional Primary Care Lead Doctor John Day says it'll compare the data it receives to the rest of the province -- whether someone is a higher than average risk, or lower -- and then give tips based on those results. "Of course a smoker knows they should quit, but this gives you real life, 'What is my overall risk doing.' And we hope that that is more of a motivator (for change)."
Day says the goal is to have people discover the information for themselves, which will help them to decide whether or not they need a cancer screening.
Visit mycanceriq.ca for more information.
The My CancerIQ app, shown on a tablet at Windsor Regional Hospital, April 1, 2015. (Photo by Mike Vlasveld)