Effect of health education on awareness about oral cancer and oral self-examination

CONTEXT: Oral cancer is preceded by visible changes in the oral mucosa. These lesions can be detected by oral self-examination, but awareness about oral cancer is still low in developing countries. AIM: To evaluate the effect of health education on awareness about oral cancer and oral self-examination. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Quasi-experimental trial was conducted in an urban resettlement colony of Chandigarh, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A brochure having information and pictorials on oral lesions was used for conducting health education sessions on a one-to-one basis in the household setting among 85 males in age group 15–59 years during 2013, and each participant was encouraged to perform an oral self-examination. Study participants were interviewed about their awareness on oral cancer and oral self-examination before- and after-health education using a pretested interview schedule. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Awareness items were scored, and mean change in awareness score was computed. Paired t-test was used for testing statistical significance. RESULTS: Thirty-three percent of the study participants were current smokers, 25% consumed alcohol, and 9.4% chewed tobacco. The awareness scores after health education increased significantly from 5.3 to 6.7 (P < 0.05), and 34% of the tobacco or alcohol users expressed their intention to quit these habits, and two persons actually quit tobacco chewing. Out of the 77 study participants who performed oral self-examination, nine were able to detect lesions, and one was found to have submucous fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Health education intervention was able to initiate a favorable behavior change in the community. Hence, oral self-examination programs should be promoted.