Prevalence of Tobacco Use and Oral Precancerous Lesions and their Associated Factors among Adult Females in Rural Areas of a Primary Health Center in Bangalore Urban District

Abstract Background: Tobacco use is one of the major causes of noncommunicable diseases and around 80% of oral cancers are directly attributable to tobacco use. Tobacco/betel chewing is accepted culturally in India and is common among women especially in rural areas. This study estimates the prevalence of current tobacco use and oral precancerous lesions and its associated factors among women in rural areas of urban Bangalore district. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was done in a Primary Health Center area of Bangalore urban district among adult women selected using the simple random sampling technique. Modified Global Adult Tobacco Survey questionnaire was used to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice with respect to tobacco use. Visual oral examination was done for oral precancerous lesions. Results: The study population included 351 women, majority 223 (63.5%) of whom were below 45 years. Twenty-five subjects were using tobacco and 80 (22.8%) of them had been using betel nut/leaf. Seventeen (4.8%) study subjects were suspected to have precancerous lesions, of which 88.3% was leucoplakia. Tobacco/betel use was found to be associated with increasing age, having lower levels of education, and belonging to lower socioeconomic status which were found to be statistically significant. Having oral precancerous lesions was associated with increasing age, ever use of tobacco and current tobacco/betel use. Conclusion: Nearly one-third of the subjects were using tobacco (7%) or betel leaf/nut and significantly high number of them had oral precancerous lesion. Hence, rural women need awareness and support to quit tobacco and betel chewing.