382P - Oral health disparities in privileged and underprivileged tribes of south India: A study of the prevalence of precancerous oral lesions

Background

The tribal populations throughout India have remained socially and culturally alienated from mainstream Indian society until developmental and conservation activities in tribal areas forced interactions between them. The precancerous oral lesion is a major public health problem among South Indian tribes in Kerala state. The aim of this study was to explore oral health disparities among the underprivileged Paniya and the privileged Kurichiya tribes of Wayanad, South India from the Precancerous oral lesions perspective.

Methods

A cross sectional survey was done among 600 Kurichiya tribes and 400 Paniya tribal populations of Wayanad District, India from January 2013 to June 2013 after approval from the Institutional ethical committee. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data regarding study variables. Oral health survey form was used to record the oromucosal status of the study population after obtaining informed consent.

Results

In this study Precancerous oral lesions was found to be far more prevalent among the underprivileged Paniya tribes than among the privileged Kurichiya tribes (P < 0.0001). The prevalence of leukoplakia was found to be 42% amongst the Paniya tribes. This was much higher than the 2% found among the Kurichiya tribes. Among the Paniya tribes a statistically significant relationship was observed between Precancerous oral lesions and poor access to oral health care (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The Paniya tribe is a distinct community with their own cultural beliefs, habits, and attitudes. High prevalence of precancerous oral lesions in the underprivileged population was due to tobacco usage and alcohol consumption and lack of awareness regarding the deleterious effects of the products used. Knowledge of these differences can be used to provide appropriate health education programs suitably targeted to reduce the use of the known risk factors for oral cancer.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The author.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

The author has declared no conflicts of interest.