title: Mouth cancer awareness and beliefs among dental patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to assess the levels of awareness, knowledge about signs and risk factors of mouth (oral) cancer, and attitudes towards early diagnosis and treatment among dental outpatients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,200 adult outpatients attending dental clinics at the University of Jordan Hospital for dental examination and treatment were randomly selected to participate in the study. An 18-item pretested close-ended questionnaire was used for the study. Descriptive statistics were generated and chi-square tests, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Spearman's rho test were used to examine differences between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 45.6% of the subjects had heard about oral cancer. Some 66.9% and 33.8%, respectively, were able to correctly identify tobacco and alcohol as risk factors. Some 24.1% had no knowledge about any signs of oral cancer. Male subjects, smokers, alcohol drinkers, older participants (>40 years), and participants with less than a university education were significantly less aware, and had much less knowledge, of the signs and risk factors of oral cancer (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Awareness about oral cancer among Jordanian dental outpatients is low. These dental patients, especially those in high-risk groups for mouth cancer and those of lower socio-economic status (SES), are less well informed about the signs and risk factors of oral cancer. Interventions to improve public knowledge about oral cancer and attitudes towards early diagnosis and treatment are urgently indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, and Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
authors.forename: Yazan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hassona
authors.forename: Crispian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scully
authors.forename: Mais
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abu Ghosh
authors.forename: Zaid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: Shadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jarrar
authors.forename: Faleh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sawair
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001294:Attitude to Health; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D064424:Tobacco Use; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Jordan; Oral; awareness; cancer; public