Patient awareness/knowledge towards oral cancer: A cross-sectional survey

• Main Authors: Acharya, A. (Author), Bharatkumar, A. (Author), Chyou, P.-H (Author), Glurich, I. (Author), Jethwani, M. (Author), Shimpi, N. (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BioMed Central Ltd. 2018
• Subjects: adolescent; Adolescent; adult; Adult; aged; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking; attitude to health; Attitudes; Awareness; Community surveys; complication; Cross-Sectional Studies; cross-sectional study; drinking behavior; female; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; human; Human papillomavirus 16; Human papillomavirus type 16; Humans; Knowledge; male; Male; mass screening; Mass Screening; middle aged; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms; mouth tumor; Oral cancer; papillomavirus infection; Papillomavirus Infections; patient; Patients; psychology; risk factor; Risk Factors; rural health; Rural Health; smoking; smoking cessation; Smoking Cessation; Tobacco Smoking; tobacco use; Tobacco Use; very elderly; Wisconsin; young adult; Young Adult
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher

 Background: Oral cancer (OC) is associated with multiple risk factors and high mortality rates and substantially contributes to the global cancer burden despite being highly preventable. This cross-sectional study sought to assess current knowledge, awareness, and behaviors of patients in rural communities surrounding OC risk. Methods: An anonymous 21-question survey was distributed to patients in waiting rooms of a large integrated medical-dental health system serving north-central Wisconsin. Survey results were summarized via descriptive statistics. Odds ratios surrounding health literacy on OC risk factors were obtained using unconditional univariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Of 504 dental and 306 medical patients completing the survey, 62.2% were female, Caucasian/White (92%) with 41% having a≤high school diploma/equivalent. Current smoker/smokeless tobacco use was reported by 34%, while 39% reported former tobacco exposure. Alcohol use was reported by 54% of respondents at the following frequencies: < once/week, (35%); 1-2 times/week, (16%); 3-4 times/week, (6%); 5-6 times/week, (2%); and daily, (23%). Knowledge about tobacco and alcohol use and increased OC risk was reported by 94 and 40%, respectively. About 50% reported knowledgeability regarding cancer-associated symptomology. Tobacco cessation was reported by 20% of responders. Receipt of education on OC from healthcare providers and human papilloma virus links to OC causation was reported by 38 and 21%, respectively. Conclusion: Patients who smoked >20+ cigarettes per day were more knowledgeable about tobacco and OC risk compared to non-smokers and those who smoked ≤19 cigarettes/day (p=0.0647). Patients who were alcohol consumers exhibited higher knowledgeability surrounding increased OC risk with alcohol and tobacco exposures compared to alcohol abstainers (p=0.06). We concluded that patients recognized links between tobacco and OC risk but demonstrated lower knowledge of other causal factors. Strategic patient education by providers could increase awareness of OC risk. © 2018 The Author(s).