Training in the primary prevention and early detection of oral cancer: pilot study of its impact on clinicians' perceptions and intentions.
In this pilot study, we tested a new program for training medical care providers in the primary prevention and early detection of oral cancer. The training program consisted of two modules: (1) oral cancer epidemiology and head and neck examinations for the early detection of oral cancer and (2) assessment and counseling of patients in tobacco cessation. On a pretraining questionnaire, the 8 participating clinicians (3 primary care physicians, 4 ENT nurses, and 1 physician assistant) indicated that they had only a limited awareness of oral cancer, that they generally did not routinely examine asymptomatic patients for oral cancer, and that they engaged in only a limited amount of risk assessment/counseling with their patients. On a post-training questionnaire, they indicated that their training had been well received and would prompt them to increase their efforts to examine their patients for early signs of oral cancer and to counsel them about its risks.
LeHew
Charles W
CW
Center for Population Health and Health Disparities, University of Illinois at Chicago Cancer Center, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd., Suite 500, M/C 275, Chicago, IL 60608, USA. lehew@uic.edu
Epstein
Joel B
JB
Koerber
Anne
A
Kaste
Linda M
LM
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires