IADR Abstract Archives
Evaluating Knowledge and Perception towards Head and Neck Cancer (HNC)
Objectives: To identify and to improve the level of HNC awareness among middle and high school children and their parents.
Methods: A self-administered questionnaire on HNC and its risk factors was distributed to patients aged 10-18 years visiting the dental clinics at Boston University and Boston Medical Center and their parents. Educational brochure was given to participants after survey completion to improve their HNC awareness. Descriptive analysis was used to identify trends and paired analysis such as Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to detect significant differences between patients and their parents (p<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to control for potential confounders.
Results: A total of 177 participants were included; 97 parents and 80 patients. HNC and Human Papilloma virus (HPV) awareness levels were low in 60% and 46% of parents respectively, and in 38% and 80% of children respectively. About 91% of parents and 50% of patients were engaged in at least one risky behavior. Approximately 28% and 100% of parents and patients respectively weren’t adapting adequate protective measures against HNC. HNC and HPV knowledge levels showed statistically significant differences between patients and their parents (p=0.3, p<0.01 respectively). When controlling for gender, older patients showed higher HNC and HPV knowledge levels and were more likely to take protective measures than younger ones. Also, patients with higher HNC knowledge were more likely to have protective practices when controlling for age. However, when controlling for gender, age of parents neither affected their HNC or HPV knowledge nor their protective behaviors. Also, parents’ HNC knowledge level was not correlated with their protective practices when controlling for age.
Conclusions: Our study shows significant gaps in knowledge and protective behavior patterns among middle and high school children and their parents. Therefore, future dental practitioners should consider allotting more time on oral health education.
Methods: A self-administered questionnaire on HNC and its risk factors was distributed to patients aged 10-18 years visiting the dental clinics at Boston University and Boston Medical Center and their parents. Educational brochure was given to participants after survey completion to improve their HNC awareness. Descriptive analysis was used to identify trends and paired analysis such as Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to detect significant differences between patients and their parents (p<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to control for potential confounders.
Results: A total of 177 participants were included; 97 parents and 80 patients. HNC and Human Papilloma virus (HPV) awareness levels were low in 60% and 46% of parents respectively, and in 38% and 80% of children respectively. About 91% of parents and 50% of patients were engaged in at least one risky behavior. Approximately 28% and 100% of parents and patients respectively weren’t adapting adequate protective measures against HNC. HNC and HPV knowledge levels showed statistically significant differences between patients and their parents (p=0.3, p<0.01 respectively). When controlling for gender, older patients showed higher HNC and HPV knowledge levels and were more likely to take protective measures than younger ones. Also, patients with higher HNC knowledge were more likely to have protective practices when controlling for age. However, when controlling for gender, age of parents neither affected their HNC or HPV knowledge nor their protective behaviors. Also, parents’ HNC knowledge level was not correlated with their protective practices when controlling for age.
Conclusions: Our study shows significant gaps in knowledge and protective behavior patterns among middle and high school children and their parents. Therefore, future dental practitioners should consider allotting more time on oral health education.
