Assessment of Knowledge of and Attitude Toward Oral Cancer Among the Outpatient Population in a Tertiary Care Rural Hospital

Awareness of Oral Cancer Among Users of Smokeless Tobacco: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

 Smokeless tobacco (SLT) stands out for its higher nicotine absorption and its role in preventable fatalities. The Global Adult Tobacco survey in Saudi Arabia revealed SLT usage, while past legislation restricted its use. Linking SLT consumption to oral cancer and oral mucosal ulcers, the study addresses its prevalence in head and neck malignancies.

METHODOLOGY

This study is cross-sectional and includes adult users of SLT. Raosoft (Raosoft Inc., Seattle, WA) was used to calculate the sample size. The data was analyzed using SPSS software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY).

RESULTS

The research study investigated various sociodemographic characteristics and prevalence of SLT use among participants. All participants reported using SLT, with toombak (33.2%) and shamma (36.0%) being the most prevalent. Notably, reasons for initiating SLT included influence from peer pressure (33.6%), alternatives to smoking (32.0%), and influence from relatives (19.0%). While 75.1% intended to quit within a year, awareness of SLT's harmfulness varied: 40.3% believed it was less harmful than smoking, and 57.7% recognized its link to oral cancer. Additionally, 62.2% believed SLT could lead to dependence. Sociodemographic factors generally did not significantly affect awareness of SLT causing oral cancer.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate a significant prevalence of SLT use, with toombak and shamma being the most common types consumed. Awareness of the potential harm of SLT use in relation to oral cancer varied among participants, with a notable proportion misunderstanding its harmfulness compared to smoking tobacco.