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

Abstract

The present study, based in a tertiary hospital in South western Nigeria, assessed cancer awareness among patients seeking dental treatment. A specially designed questionnaire was used to collect information on the knowledge, beliefs and habits of those attending the dental hospital within a designated period of the year. Almost 61% of the respondents had post-secondary education. The level of oral cancer awareness was 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 associate d with educational status. T h e stud y also revealed that 5 0 % had previous information on oral cancers from mass media as against 20.1 % who were informed through health care professionals. Almost half of the study sample recalled episode s o f previous oral ulceration and of these, greater than 50% indulged in either self-medication (38.1%) or no 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. T h e lac k o f association, in this study, between oral cancer incidence and the known risk behaviours, is an obvious indication for investigation into other predisposing factors such as nutrients, genetic predisposition and the role of chronic infections. Perhaps one or more of these might be more relevant in this environment.