A importância da educação como estratégia na prevenção e no diagnóstico precoce do câncer bucal

Abstract

Oral cancer is a worldwide public health problem and could be cured or, at least, had a more favorable prognosis to the patient if diagnosed in the early stages. One of the factors that may result in the lack of an early diagnosis is a deficiency in professional training and/or continuing education of the professional dentist. The objective of this study was to verify the knowledge of dentists of the da Equipe Estratégia Saúde da Família, in the city of João Pessoa-PB, on Oral Cancer. It was an observational study, with a descriptive and transversal quantitative approach, in which a questionnaire with closed questions was applied as instrument to collect data. The results were analyzed through the GNU-PSPP Statistical Analysis Software, in which they were categorized, analyzed and described by simple and relative frequency. The results showed that of the 70 professionals interviewed, the majority were women (78.57%), aged 40 to 60 (44.29%), more than twenty years of graduation (45.72%), post-graduate (78.7%) and graduated from the UFPB (70%). More than 70% of the dentists considered leukoplakia as the pre-malignant lesion most related to oral cancer, a painless ulcer as the initial lesion’ aspect, and tobacco and alcohol consumption, sun exposure and maladaptive prosthesis as the main risk factors. Squamous cell carcinoma was identified as the most common oral cancer by 50% of the interviewees. About the biopsy test, however, most of the professionals stated that they did not feel capable of performing it (97.72%). There was no statistically significant difference between those who evaluated well the teaching that they obtained during graduation and the self-acknowlegment about oral cancer. There was also no statistical significance among dentists who attended oral cancer update courses over the last year and those who did not. It is concluded that, although most dentists interviewee have demonstrated satisfactory knowledge related to oral cancer, it is necessary to raise awareness of these professionals on the importance of putting into practice, in their work activities, means of detection and prevention of the disease.