Prevalence of Tobacco Use and Oral Malignant Precancerous Lesions Among Auto Rickshaw Drivers in Chennai City, Tamil Nadu, India

PURPOSE Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of premature death and diseases, currently leading to five million deaths worldwide which are expected to raise over eight million deaths worldwide by 2030. India is the second largest consumer of tobacco in the world. Tobacco use is a leading cause o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:JCO global oncology 2024-07, Vol.10 (Supplement_1), p.150-150
Main Authors: Francis, Delfin Lovelina, SP, Saravanan
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:PURPOSE Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of premature death and diseases, currently leading to five million deaths worldwide which are expected to raise over eight million deaths worldwide by 2030. India is the second largest consumer of tobacco in the world. Tobacco use is a leading cause of deaths and disabilities in India as well, killing about 1.2 lakh people in 2010. Approximately 29% of adults are daily tobacco users, with a further 5% using it occasionally. This study aims to assess the prevalence of tobacco consumption and total premalignant lesion among auto rickshaw drivers that plays a significant role in the country's workforce. METHODS A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out using Cluster random sampling on auto rickshaw drivers in Chennai City who had been working for over two years and were present for the assessment. 400 samples were chosen from 40 auto stands. Data was gathered by a Survey Proforma that included a Questionnaire designed to evaluate the frequency, age of onset, quantity of consumption, mental stress, economic influences, any previous medical history, and particularly the awareness of oral cancer. Oral examination was done by a single examiner to assess the oral malignant pre-cancerous lesions. RESULTS Prevalence among auto rickshaw drivers for consumption of tobacco products was very high (87%). They mostly used tobacco in the form of Gutkha (72%) and bidi (40%) in comparison to other products. 47% prevalence of oral malignant pre-cancerous lesions were observed, however the users were not aware. Most of the auto rickshaw drivers start using tobacco products in age less than 18 years (80%) and associated factors for tobacco use are due to friends and their influence (78%). 70% of auto rickshaw drivers have a good level of awareness of its hazards, although 66% still use tobacco products due to addiction. CONCLUSION The prevalence of tobacco use and oral malignant pre-cancerous lesions among auto rickshaw drivers was exceedingly high. Many individuals were experiencing tobacco-related ailments such as cough, mouth ulcers, and lung disorders. They are in definite need of tobacco cessation activities.
ISSN:2687-8941
2687-8941
DOI:10.1200/GO-24-11900