Abstract:
Background: Lip, tongue, and mouth cancers are one of the most common type of cancer in
Sri Lanka mostly associated with, male gender, poor socio-economic status such as estate
sector. This is the most common type of cancer among Sri Lankan males. Screening of
potentially malignant oral disorders (PMOD) is a cost-effective strategy to reduce the burden of
such cancers.
Objectives: To assess the prevalence and patient characteristics of PMOD among community
dwelling adults in tea estate communities of Galle district
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with the participation of 178 community
dwellers of tea estate sector aged over 35 years in Galle district. An interviewer-administered
questionnaire was administered while screening of PMOD was done by a dentist. The cluster
sampling method was used when selecting the sample. The questionnaire consisted of five
sections: sociodemographic data, nutritional status, habits for developing and related to PMOD
and oral cancers, symptoms of PMOD and oral cancers, and observations related to the
PMODs. Prevalence was mentioned as percentages, while the associated factors were identified
using Chi-square/Fisher’s exact test.
Results: The mean age of the study sample was 56 years. The prevalence of PMODs was
4.49% (n=8). Among them burning sensation (3.4%, n=6), white lesions (2.2%, n=4), red
lesions (2.8%, n=5) and non-healing ulcers (4.5%, n=8) were observed. PMODs were mostly
seen among males (8.8%, 6/68), Tamils (5.2%, 8/154), aged >75 years (9.5%, 2/21). PMODs
were more prevalent among the people who do not eat fruits daily (5.2%, 7/134). PMODs were
common among those consume alcohol (7.5%, 4/53), smoke (11.1%, 3/27) and chew beetles
(4.7%, 5/107). PMODs were more prevalent among the employed participants (6.7%, 6/90).
Conclusions: The prevalence of PMODs among the estate community is very low. Screening
of larger number of community dwellers is recommended and public health education and
health promotion strategies for deprived communities to improve the oral health to prevent oral
cancers is important.
