Conference abstract
Nurses and the prevention and early detection of oral cancer: knowledge and awareness amongst nurses in Kano State, Nigeria
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2022:13(26).03
Feb 2022.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2022.13.26.886
Archived on: 03 Feb 2022
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Knowledge of signs and symptoms, nurses, oral cancer, prevention
Oral presentation
Nurses and the prevention and early detection of oral cancer: knowledge and awareness amongst nurses in Kano State, Nigeria
Joshua Biodun Adeoye1,&, Babatunde Olumide Bamgbose2, Ezi Abigail Akaji3, Adetokunbo Rafel Adebola4
1Preventive Dentistry Department, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, 2Oral Diagnostic Sciences Department, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, 3Preventive Dentistry Department, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria, 4Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
&Corresponding author
Introduction: patients and their relatives come in contact with nurses often. Nurses outnumber dentists and dental auxiliary staff in Nigeria, and are closer to the populace. They therefore, may have important roles to play in prevention and early detection of oral cancer in Nigeria, where late presentation is still a problem. The study aimed to assess the awareness and knowledge of nurses in a Nigerian tertiary hospital about oral cancer.
Methods: this was a cross-sectional study in which respondents were recruited from outpatient and community clinics, and in-patient wards in the hospital. The study utilized a self-administered questionnaire adapted from a similar study by the authors, and proposed it as an oral cancer knowledge tool.
Results: most respondents were females (61.2%). Fifty-eight respondents (56.3%) were aged between 30 and 39, and most (55.3%) had 10 years of experience or less. Three scales were used: Knowledge of Signs and Symptoms (SS); Diagnostic Procedures (DP); and Risk Factors (RF). Eighty-nine respondents (86.4%) had adequate knowledge (Knowledge of 50% or more) on the SS scale, 54.4% had adequate knowledge on the DP scale, while 77.7% had moderate knowledge on the RF scale. When scales were combined into an “overall knowledge scale”, less than half (48.5%) had adequate knowledge of oral cancer.
Conclusion: nurses can help in preventing or detecting oral cancer and markedly improving outcomes and survival. To do this, overall oral cancer knowledge has to be improved. Continuing education courses can serve in this regard.
Nurses and the prevention and early detection of oral cancer: knowledge and awareness amongst nurses in Kano State, Nigeria
Joshua Biodun Adeoye1,&, Babatunde Olumide Bamgbose2, Ezi Abigail Akaji3, Adetokunbo Rafel Adebola4
1Preventive Dentistry Department, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, 2Oral Diagnostic Sciences Department, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, 3Preventive Dentistry Department, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria, 4Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
&Corresponding author
Introduction: patients and their relatives come in contact with nurses often. Nurses outnumber dentists and dental auxiliary staff in Nigeria, and are closer to the populace. They therefore, may have important roles to play in prevention and early detection of oral cancer in Nigeria, where late presentation is still a problem. The study aimed to assess the awareness and knowledge of nurses in a Nigerian tertiary hospital about oral cancer.
Methods: this was a cross-sectional study in which respondents were recruited from outpatient and community clinics, and in-patient wards in the hospital. The study utilized a self-administered questionnaire adapted from a similar study by the authors, and proposed it as an oral cancer knowledge tool.
Results: most respondents were females (61.2%). Fifty-eight respondents (56.3%) were aged between 30 and 39, and most (55.3%) had 10 years of experience or less. Three scales were used: Knowledge of Signs and Symptoms (SS); Diagnostic Procedures (DP); and Risk Factors (RF). Eighty-nine respondents (86.4%) had adequate knowledge (Knowledge of 50% or more) on the SS scale, 54.4% had adequate knowledge on the DP scale, while 77.7% had moderate knowledge on the RF scale. When scales were combined into an “overall knowledge scale”, less than half (48.5%) had adequate knowledge of oral cancer.
Conclusion: nurses can help in preventing or detecting oral cancer and markedly improving outcomes and survival. To do this, overall oral cancer knowledge has to be improved. Continuing education courses can serve in this regard.
