A comparative study to assess the level of knowledge on oral cancer among adults in rural and urban area

Prof.Dr.S.KalaBarathi; Teenu Jose

Volume : VIII, Issue : VIII, August - 2019

A comparative study to assess the level of knowledge on oral cancer among adults in rural and urban area

Prof. Dr. S. Kalabarathi, Teenu Jose

Abstract :

Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in our society”. Each year smoking kills more people than AIDS, drug abuse, suicides, and fires, combined. In India the proportion of tobacco related cancers relative to all cancers range from 35% in Bangalore to 50% in Bhopal among males. About 2000 deaths a day in India is tobacco related. According to B.B.C, “4 in 10 of all cancer in India are oral cancer”. So the present study is done to assess the level of knowledge on oral cancer among adults in rural (Perambakkam) and urban (Ambathur) area. Quantitative approach descriptive design was adopted to conduct this study. 100 samples were selected with purposive sampling technique, 50 samples from rural area and 50 samples from urban area. The data was collected using the tools which consist of two sections, demographic variables and self–structured questionnaire to assess the level of knowledge on oral cancer. Out of 50 samples in rural area, 7(14%) had inadequate knowledge, 41(82%) had moderate knowledge and 2(4%) had adequate knowledge. Out of 50 samples in urban area, 3(6%) had inadequate knowledge, 25(50%) had moderate knowledge and 22(44%) had adequate knowledge in urban area. This study reveals that more number of adults (44%) in urban area (Ambathur) has adequate knowledge than the number of adults (4%) in the rural area (Perambakkam).