National Journal of Community Medicine (Jun 2012)
Oral Premalignant Lesions Associated with Areca Nut and Tobacco Chewing Among the Tobacco Industry Workers in Area of Rural Maharashtra
Abstract
Background: The visualization of independent adverse health effects of chewing tobacco and areca nut compounds rather than “smokeless tobacco” were intended to study among chewing tobacco industry workers. The present study conducted to estimate the prevalence and the strength of association with premalignant lesions with regards to duration and frequency of consumption. Methods: A cross-sectional camp approach with multi-phasic screening of the 1414 workers was adopted in the study. Structured close ended questionnaire was used to gather the Socio-demographic and eating habits of various forms of tobacco and areca nut compounds. Clinical screening by oral examination was followed by staining with iodine and acetic acid (decolourizing agent) for diagnosis of premalignant oral lesions. Mean percentage proportion and chi square test of significance were used for data analysis. Results: Among total chewing study population, tobacco chewers (67.01%) were approximately twice of the Areca nut chewers (32.99%). The association between Areca nut chewers, tobacco chewers and non chewers with respect to development of oral lesion was highly significant. The areca nut chewers (3.28%) outnumbered the Tobacco chewers (2.69%) in age group of less than 25 years. 86.88% of oral lesions were due to Arecanut related compounds with in duration of 10 years and frequency of 5 times, which is greater than due to tobacco chewing (54.31%) Conclusion: Areca nut compounds have the potential like tobacco in producing oral lesions, with the most adverse effect among the young generation which is consuming Gutka (areca nut compound). Periodical Oral health examination and behaviour change communication strategies to sensitize these individuals plays a key role in refraining them from these “Flavored addictive carcinogens”.
