Shubayr Mosa A, Moaleem Mohammed M Al, Hakami Seham A, Khalufi Khulud N, Daghriri Reham Mousa, Bokhari Ahmed M, Alhazmi Anwar Shawqi, Farsi Ali Hassan, Adawi Majed Ahmed, Nahari Hussain Hassan, Hattan Afrah H, Alsharif Alla T, Albar Nassreen H
Preventive Dentistry Department, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Prosthetic Dental Science, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
BMC Oral Health. 2024 Dec 4;24(1):1465. doi: 10.1186/s12903-024-05266-7.
Oral cancer is a pressing health concern in the Saudi Arabia (SA), with rising incidence and mortality rates. Despite the efforts in raising awareness, gaps persist in knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to oral cancer prevention (OCP) among dental health professionals. This study aimed to identify the key factors influencing engagement in oral cancer prevention activities among dental students and professionals in Saudi. It examines the impact of socio-demographic characteristics and assesses their KAP related to oral cancer prevention.
A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and February 2024 using a pre-validated online questionnaire distributed among oral health providers across various regions and sectors in SA. The survey included questions about participants' KAP toward OCP. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the data.
Out of 400 oral health providers invited, 157 completed the survey. The findings showed a discrepancy between knowledge and practice. While awareness of OC was generally high, this did not consistently lead to favourable attitudes or effective practices. The engagement in OCP activities was significantly associated with good knowledge, practice and favourable attitude scores. Profession significantly influenced participation, with clinicians (P = 0.013, OR = 0.131, 95% CI: 0.026-0.653) and those in administrative roles (P = 0.030, OR = 0.101, 95% CI: 0.013-0.804) both less likely to participate compared to dental students. Knowledge was a significant predictor (P = 0.002), with providers demonstrating poor knowledge being far less likely to participate (OR = 0.053, 95% CI: 0.008-0.339).
The study identified a critical need for enhancing OCP education and training among oral health providers in SA. The findings indicate that continuous, targeted, and culturally sensitive training could bridge the existing KAP gap, potentially leading to improved early detection and management of OC, thereby reducing its morbidity and mortality rates in the region.
口腔癌是沙特阿拉伯（SA）一个紧迫的健康问题，其发病率和死亡率不断上升。尽管在提高认识方面做出了努力，但牙科保健专业人员在与口腔癌预防（OCP）相关的知识、态度和行为（KAP）方面仍存在差距。本研究旨在确定影响沙特牙科学生和专业人员参与口腔癌预防活动的关键因素。它考察了社会人口学特征的影响，并评估了他们与口腔癌预防相关的KAP。
在2023年11月至2024年2月期间进行了一项横断面研究，使用预先验证的在线问卷，分发给沙特不同地区和部门的口腔健康提供者。该调查包括关于参与者对OCP的KAP的问题。使用描述性统计和逻辑回归分析来分析数据。
在邀请的400名口腔健康提供者中，157人完成了调查。研究结果显示了知识与实践之间的差异。虽然对口腔癌的认识总体较高，但这并不总是导致积极的态度或有效的实践。参与OCP活动与良好的知识、实践和积极的态度得分显著相关。职业对参与度有显著影响，临床医生（P = 0.013，OR = 0.131，95%CI：0.026 - 0.653）和行政人员（P = 0.030，OR = 0.101，95%CI：0.013 - 0.804）与牙科学生相比参与的可能性都较小。知识是一个显著的预测因素（P = 0.002），知识水平较差的提供者参与的可能性要小得多（OR = 0.053，95%CI：0.008 - 0.339）。
该研究确定了沙特口腔健康提供者中加强OCP教育和培训的迫切需求。研究结果表明，持续、有针对性且对文化敏感的培训可以弥合现有的KAP差距，有可能改善口腔癌的早期检测和管理，从而降低该地区的发病率和死亡率。
