Oral cancer awareness and prevalence of risk behaviours among dental patients in south-western Nigeria

Abstract

The present study, base d in a tertiary hospital in South western Nigeria , assessed cancer awareness among patients seeking dental treatment. A specially designed questionnaire w a s use d t o collect information on the knowledge , beliefs a n d habits o f those attending the dental hospital within a designate d period of the year. Almost 61% of the respondents h a d post-secondary education . The level o f oral cancer awareness w a s remarkably high (72%), but this was low compared to awareness about occurrence of cancer in other parts of the body (89.9%). Awareness was found to be closely associated with educational status. The study also revealed that 5 0 % had previous information on oral cancers from mass media as against 20.1 % w h o were informed through health care professionals. Almost half of the study sample recalled episodes of previous oral ulceration and of these , greater than 5 0 % indulged in either self medication (38.1 % ) o r n o medication at all (18.4%). The prevalence of alcohol consumption and smoking habits among the respondents was low being, 16.3% and 4.2% respectively . The lack of association , in this study, between oral cancer incidence a n d the known risk behaviours, is an obvious indication for investigation into other predisposing factors such a s nutrients, genetic predisposition and the role of chronic infections. Perhaps one or more o f these might be more relevant in this environment.