Knowledge of Oral Cancer among the Fourth and Fifth Year Dental Students

Uvod: Podatci iz literature pokazuju nedovoljno znanje i svijest o raku usne šupljine među studentima dentalne medicine i medicine. Cilj: Željelo se procijeniti znanje i svjesnost studenata završnih godina studija dentalne medicine o raku usne šupljine, njegovoj prevenciji i ranom otkrivanju. Također se željela utvrditi učestalost studenata pušača među studentima dentalne medicine i koliko njihov pušački status utječe na stajalište prema pušenju kao rizičnom čimbeniku za razvoj raka usne šupljine. Ispitanici i metode: Ispitna skupina sastojala se od ukupno 83 studenta četvrte i pete godine studija dentalne medicine koji su odgovarali na 16 pitanja iz izvornog upitnika. Rezultati: Više od polovine studenata smatra da je njihovo znanje o raku usne šupljine dobro, četvrtina da je loše, a samo su dva studenta ocijenila svoje znanje izvrsnim. Više studenata pete godine pušači su u odnosu prema studentima četvrte godine (39,5 % vs. 22,5 %). Veći postotak studenata nepušača u odnosu prema studentima pušačima označio je prestanak pušenja kao važnu preventivnu mjeru (nepušači 91,2 %, pušači 84,3 %, p = 0,01). Zaključak: Većina studenata četvrte i pete godine studija procjenjuje svoje znanje o raku usne šupljine dobrim, iako velik broj studenata obiju godina smatra benignu vlasastu leukoplakiju potencijalno malignim stanjem. Studenti nepušači smatraju prestanak pušenja važnom preventivnom mjerom, za razliku od studenata pušača.Background: The literature data show insufficient knowledge and awareness about oral cancer among dental and medical students. Objective: To assess the knowledge of graduating dental students regarding oral cancer and to assess their awareness regarding the prevention and early detection of oral cancer. Also student’s smoking status was examined aimed to investigate their attitude towards smoking as a risk factor for development of oral cancer and to assess the prevalence of smoking among dental students. Subjects and Methods: The study group consisted of 83 students of the fourth and fifth years of dental medicine study who answered the questions written in the original 16-item questionnaire. Results: More than half of the students considered their knowledge to be good, a quarter of them regarded their knowledge as being poor. Almost 16% of students considered their knowledge to be very good, whereas only two students rated their knowledge as ‘excellent’. Students of the fifth year were more likely to be smokers compared to fourth year students (39.5% vs. 22.5%). Higher percentage of non-smokers than smokers had marked ‘stop smoking’ as an important preventive measure (non-smokers 91.2%, smokers 84.3%, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Majority of the students of fourth and fifth year of study rate their knowledge about oral cancer as good. A large number of students of both years considered hairy leukoplakia a potentially malignant disorder. Students non smokers recognize “stop smoking” as an important preventive measure unlike students smokers who show a more realistic attitude towards smoking as a risk factor for oral cancer