Avaliação do nível de conhecimento da população do campus universitário da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais sobre câncer bucal

Abstract

Despite of the simple and costless diagnose of oral cancer, this disease still shows epidemiological concern because of its worldwide very high morbidity and mortality. There are many published studies about the prevalence and incidence of this disease in the literature. However, very few of them deal with the population level of information on oral cancer. Uncouthly public campaigns cover different types of cancer, but oral cancer remains still insufficiently targeted. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of knowledge in a particular population belonging to a University Campus namely the Campus of the Federal University of Minas Gerais. The investigation was carried on with a questionnaire in order to depict the knowledge of risk factor as well as protection factor on oral cancer, initial signals of oral cancer and self-examination. The sample consisted of 260 individuals distributed amongst students, professors and administrative workers. From those, 231 (88,8%) had already heard about oral cancer. In order to analyze the results concerning the level of knowledge on oral cancer, the answers for the questionnaire were given grades from 1 to 15. From that, five levels of knowledge were established: 1-3 grades = poor (8,7%); 4-6 grades = regular (42%); 7-9 grades = medium (34,6%); 10-12 grades = good (12,1%); 13-15 grades = good (2,6%). In this study the mean result for the main question concerning level of knowledge on oral cancer was 6,8 grades (dp ± 2,7). Hundred and seventeen individuals (50,7%) showed a very poor understanding on oral cancer. The independent variables did not seem to have played an important role on the level of knowledge about oral cancer in this study. Nevertheless, individuals above 51 years of age seem to know less about it than others. However, this was not statistically significant, remaining in the field of tendency only (p = 0,07, com CI = 95%). Considering the possibility of high exposure to information of the sample is this study, the level of knowledge regarding the oral cancer found was X not at all satisfactory. Rather it indicates the urgent need for establishing educational programs on the subject as well as further studies on the subject.