Methods: Three hundred and forty-two patients who presented to an urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) were examined using conventional oral examination (COE) and with a multispectral device (Identafi™). Loss of autofluorescence (LAF), and the visibility of diffuse vasculature were noted.
Results: The urban Indigenous community assessed did not display significantly higher rates of smoking, alcohol consumption or lesion prevalence compared to non-Indigenous counterparts. The white and violet light functions of Identafi™ provided excellent lesion visibility in 84.5% and 77.9% of cases respectively compared to 75% with COE, and were capable of highlighting new lesions not seen during COE.
Conclusions: The urban Indigenous community does not appear to display a significantly higher prevalence of risk factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts living in the same region, nor are they more likely to have oral mucosal lesions. The incidence of intra-oral pigmentation has the potential to complicate use of autofluorescence screening devices, emphasising the importance of skill and training when using this technology.