Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.15644/asc53/1/6

Knowledge and Attitudes of Primary Health Care Dentists Regarding Oral Cancer in Brazil

Augusto César Leal da Silva Leonel orcid.org/0000-0002-8760-7328 ; Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Caio Belém Rodrigues Barros Soares orcid.org/0000-0003-3849-087X ; Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Jurema Freire Lisboa de Castro orcid.org/0000-0003-3849-087X ; Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Paulo Rogério Ferreti Bonan orcid.org/0000-0002-4449-4343 ; School of Dentistry, Stomatology Unit, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
Flávia Maria de Moraes Ramos-Perez ; Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Danyel Elias da Cruz Perez orcid.org/0000-0002-4591-4645 ; Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of dentists working in Primary Health Care Units from a Brazilian city, regarding oral cancer. Materials and methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, epidemiologic survey was performed. Seventy-one dentists from Primary Health Care Units were contacted at their workplace, and participated of the study. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire of 31 multiple-choice questions addressing the main clinical features and risk factors for oral cancer. The questionnaire was divided into two sections: questions related to general data and self-perception of the participants regarding personal knowledge of oral cancer, and objective questions related to general information on oral cancer (clinical features, characteristics, traits, and risk factors). The data were tabulated and analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results: Participants were mostly females (81.5%), less than 40 years of age (57.7%), who underwent training 10–20 years ago (47.9 %). Most respondents (66.2%) considered their level of knowledge about oral cancer to be satisfactory. However, only 26.8% of tem felt that they were able to carry out diagnostic procedures for oral cancer. Most of them (95.8%) were interested in participating in training courses on Oral Diagnostics; 56.3% of them reported not having received any training or guidance on how to conduct an examination to detect oral cancer during undergraduate
training. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with previous reports and point to the need for new public policies to enable early diagnosis of oral cancer and a review of training in Oral Diagnostics
in dental schools.

Keywords

Mouth Neoplasms; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Dentists; Primary Health Care

Hrčak ID:

218004

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/218004

Publication date:

19.3.2019.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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