Mouth Cancer Health Literacy in UK Resident Bangladeshi: Campaign Outcomes

Objective: to describe outcomes of a community-based mouth cancer health literacy campaign in samples of UK resident Bangladeshi adults. Methods: using focused enumeration two samples (study: Tower Hamlets, comparison: Newham) of UK resident Bangladeshi adults were recruited. Trained interviewers administered a structured interview, containing previously validated questions on demographics, tobacco and areca nut use and mouth cancer health literacy (the modified Humphris Oral Cancer Knowledge Scale), in respondents' language of choice at their homes. Demographic, tobacco and areca nut use data is presented as frequency distributions. Comparison of mouth cancer health literacy responses were made using non-parametric statistics (p<0.05). Results: 1,315 addresses were screened to complete 400 interviews (study n=199, comparison n=201). Both samples had similar demographic backgrounds, tobacco and areca nut use and health service utilisation (p>0.05). Mouth cancer health literacy scores were superior (p<0.05) in the Tower Hamlets sample, both for total and individual item scores, compared to the Newham sample. Better mouth cancer health literacy was more likely found in the younger, male and homemakers (p<0.05) from Tower Hamlets compared to younger, male, employed and with higher completed levels of education in Newham (p<0.05). Conclusion: mouth cancer health literacy was superior in a sample recruited from Tower Hamlets compared to a comparison group recruited from Newham following a community based campaign. Acknowledgement: supported by Cancer Research UK.