0000000000610435
AUTHOR
Ana Estany-gestal
People would rather see a physician than a dentist when experiencing a long-standing oral ulceration. A population-based study in Spain
Background Primary care physicians have been reported to be the first choice for patients with oral ulcerations. This study investigates the health-seeking behaviour of lay public in Galicia (North-western Spain) if experiencing a long-standing oral ulceration. Material and Methods Cross-sectional population-based survey of randomly selected respondents conducted from March 1, 2015 to 30 June 2016. Results A total of 5,727 pedestrians entered the study (response rate: 53%), mostly in the 45-64 age group (30.2%; n=1,728), 47.7% of them (n=2,729) were males. Most participants (42.1%; n=2,411) reported to visit their dentist once a year and had secondary or compulsory education as their highes…
Oral cancer awareness in North-Western Spain: a population-based study
Background An early diagnosis depends greatly on patient awareness. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate general awareness of oral cancer and knowledge about its risk factors, signs and symptoms. Material and Methods Cross-sectional population-based survey of randomly selected respondents conducted from March 1, 2015 to 30 June 2016. Results A total of 5,727 people entered the survey (response rate: 53%). When asked what cancers participants had heard about, 20.3% mentioned oral cancer. Regarding risk factors, tobacco was mentioned by 55.3% of the sample (n=3,169), followed by alcohol (12.5%; n=708), poor oral hygiene (10.8%; n=618), diet (6.5%; n=377), and genetics (4.5%; n=248).…