Effectiveness of health promotion intervention on the knowledge and selected practices related with oral cancer among a group of vulnerable youth in Sri Lanka

BACKGROUND: There has been a noticeable trend of younger people being diagnosed with oral cancer, particularly among those from low socio-economic backgrounds. Poor knowledge on risk factors toward oral cancer and the growing fashion of using tobacco also identified among younger generation. Present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a health promotion intervention to improve the knowledge and encourage positive practices associated with oral cancer among a group of vulnerable youth in Sri Lanka. METHODS: The study was a community based quasi experimental study, conducted in urban slums in the district of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sample size for one group was 120 youth participants aged between 15 and 24 years. Health promotion intervention was implemented to the intervention group and follow up period was 6 months. The control group did not receive the intervention. Awareness of oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders, tobacco chewing practice (betel quid chewing and commercially prepared tobacco and areca nut packet (CPTAP) chewing) and self-mouth examination practice were assessed at the beginning and after 6 months in both groups using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Changes in the knowledge, self-mouth examination practice, quit rate and fresh up take rate were computed to determine the effectiveness. RESULTS: There was no loss to follow up. No significant difference was observed between the groups in pre intervention assessment regarding the knowledge, tobacco chewing and self-mouth examination practices. Knowledge score was significantly differed between the groups P = 0.000 in the post intervention assessment as well as among females P = 0.001. Quit rate of the tobacco chewing practice, betel chewing practice and CPTAP chewing practice among intervention group was 33%, 70%, and 13% respectively while control group did not have any quitters, P = 0.001. Fresh up take rate of tobacco chewing in the intervention group was 6.7% compared to the 37.5% in the control group, P = 0.001. Practicing self-mouth examination was significantly higher in intervention group in post intervention assessment, P = 0.000. CONCLUSION: Multicomponent health promotion intervention (Advocacy, Interactive discussions, IEC materials and Community mobilization) was significantly effective in enhancing the knowledge, increasing self-mouth examination practice, and reducing tobacco chewing practice among a vulnerable group of youth in Sri Lanka. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-023-16298-z.