INTRODUCTION:

Cells are the structural, functional, and biological units of all living beings. A cell can replicate itself independently. Hence, they are known as the building blocks of life. Each cell contains a fluid called the cytoplasm, which is enclosed by a membrane. Also present in the cytoplasm are several biomolecules like proteins, nucleic acids and lipids. Moreover, cellular structures called cell organelles are suspended in the cytoplasm.

Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body. Other terms used are malignant tumors and neoplasms. One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs; the latter process is referred to as metastasis.

Widespread metastasis is the primary cause of death from cancer.² Cancer begins when genetic changes interfere with this orderly process. Cells start to grow uncontrollably. These cells may form a mass called a tumor. A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread.²

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

To assess the awareness about the causative factor, control and prevention of oral cancer among the supportive staff of the selected organization in the urban area.

OBJECTIVES:

1) To assess the awareness about the causative factors of the oral cancer among the supportive staff of the selected organization in the urban area

2) To assess the awareness about the control measures of the oral cancer among the supportive staff of the selected organization in the urban area.

3) To assess the awareness about the preventive measures of the oral cancer among the supportive staff of the selected organization in the urban area.

4) To find out the relation between the awareness about the causative factors, control and prevention of the cancer with the selected demographic variables among the supportive staff of the selected organization in the urban area.

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

A Descriptive research design was used for the present study & 60 supportive staff are selected from RYK science College. A Multiple-choice questionnaire was used to assess the awareness of supportive staff regarding oral caner. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.

A] Inclusion Criteria:

· Supportive staff present during data collection

· Supportive staff who can speak and understand Marathi and English

· Those supportive staff who are willing to participate in the study

· Those supportive staff who are available during the time of study

B] Exclusion Criteria:

· Supportive staff who are not willing to participate in the study

· Supportive staff who leave after giving the informed consent without giving any reason

Section A:

Demographic data which includes age in years, gender, education in qualification, type of family, monthly income, marital status, religion, family history of oral cancer, and the lifestyle practices.

Section B:

Questions related to existing knowledge of oral cancer.

Techniques:

A technique is a practical method, skill, or art applied to a particular task.

In this study, multiple choice questions are used to collect the data from the sample

Section I: Description of Demographic data

Section: Assessment of awareness about the causative factors, control and prevention of oral cancer among supportive staff of RYK Science College.

Section: Association between selected demographic variables and awareness about the causative factors, control and prevention of oral cancer among supportive staff of RYK Science College.

RESULT:

SECTION A:

Demographic data / Baseline Performs:

Distribution age of supportive staff in which majority of (55%) were in age group of 26-35 years. Among them very low (6.67%) were in an age group of less than 25 years. supportive staff in which majority of (76.67%) was male and (23.33%) were female. Hence it can be interpreted that the male were majority among the samples.

According to their education of qualification, majority (43.33%) were illiterate, (18.33%) sample with secondary education, (21.67%) was graduate and above, (16.67%) with primary education. It interprets that most of sample under study was illiterate. majority (63.33%) of supportive staff belongs to joint type of family, (26.67%) of belongs to extent type of family and (10%) of belongs to nuclear type of family. It interprets the majority of supportive staff belongs to joint type of family.

It shows that majority (38.33%) of them had income 16,000-20,000 Rs/month (36.67%) of above 20,000 Rs/month, (23.33%) of 11,000-15,000 Rs/month. Among the sample lowest percent (1.67%) of participants had income less than 10,000 Rs/month. It shows that the majority of people under study belongsto lower middle class of economy. It shows that highest percentage (81.66%) of the participants were married, (11.67%) were unmarried, (5%) were widow/widower and (1.67%) of the participants were separated/divorced. It shows that majority of participants were married. According to their religion majorities (75%) was hindu, (13.33%) was muslim, (11.67%) was Christian and (0%) of the samples were any other. It interprets that most of the sample under study were hindu. It shows that majority (70%) of participants had no any previous knowledge of oral cancer, (30%) of had previous knowledge of oral cancer. It shows that majority of participants under study had no any previous knowledge of oral cancer. It shows that highest percentage (35%) of the participants had habit of tobacco chewing, (30%) were use pan/supari/snuff, (21.67%) were smoking, (13.33%) were alcoholism and (0%) of participants were presence of combination of habits and any other. It shows that majority of participants had habit of tobacco chewing.

SECTION B:

Assessment of awareness about the causative factors, control and prevention of the oral cancer among the supportive staff of the selected organization in the urban area.

It shows that supportive staff has excellent knowledge (40%) about the causative factors, control and prevention of oral cancer. However has good knowledge (33.04%) and average knowledge (15%). Whereas supportive staff has poor knowledge (11.66%) about the causative factors, control and prevention of oral cancer.

Table no. 2 shows that item wise analysis of awareness on general information of oral cancer

Sr. No	General information on oral cancer	Frequency	Percentage
1	What is the meaning of cancer	53	88.33%
2	Mouth cancer also known as	40	66.66%
3	Oral cancer affect people of age group	39	65%
4	The most common site of metastasis from the oral cavity is	41	68.33%
5	Most common site of oral cancer among Indian population	11	18.33%
6	Which is the most common type of oral cancer	26	43.33%
7	The most common site for leukoplakia is	21	35%
8	Most common route for metastasis of oral carcinoma is	38	63.33%

It shows that highest percentage (88.33%) of them know that “What is the meaning of cancer?” Among the sample (68.33%) of them responded correctly to “The most common site of metastasis from the oral cavity is?” However (66.66%) of the supportive staff responded correctly to “Mouth cancer is also known as?” (65%) of responded to “Oral cancer affect people age group?” Followed by (43.33%) of the people aware about “Which is the most common type of oral cancer?”(35%) of people aware about “The most common site for leukoplakia is?” However the lowest percentage (18.33%) of the supportive staff responded to “Most common site of oral cancer among Indian population?”

Section: III

Table 3 Association between selected demographic variables and awareness about the causative factors, control and prevention of oral cancer among supportive staff of RYK Science College.

Sr. No.	Demographic Data	X²	‘P’ Value	Significance
1	Age	1.823	7.82	Not significant
2	Gender	0.138	3.84	Not significant
3	Education of qualification	10.453	7.82	Significant
4	Type of family	2.094	5.99	Not significant
5	Income of family	7.985	7.82	Significant
6	Marital status	3.455	7.82	Not significant
7	Religion	1.14	7.82	Not significant
8	Family history of oral cancer	0.208	3.84	Not significant
9	Previous knowledge of oral cancer	7.698	3.84	Significant
10	Life style practices	5.806	11.07	Not significant

Chi square values are calculated to find out the association between awareness of research statement with their demographic variables. Findings revealed that was significant association between awareness of research statement with demographic variable like Education of qualification, Income of family, Previous knowledge of oral cancer. However there was no significant association between awareness about Causative factors, Control and Prevention of oral cancer with the demographic variables like Age, Gender, Type of family, Marital status, Religion, Family history of oral cancer, Lifestyle practices.

Hence null hypothesis (H02) was accepted stated here as there was no significant association between research statements with demographic variables.

CONCLUSION:

Findings of the study of awareness related to causative factor, control and prevention of oral cancer among supportive staff of RYK College of Science.

REFERENCE:

1. Sembulingam K and Sembulingam P. Essential of Medical Physiology.6th ed: Jaypee Publisher;2013, Mumbai, 3-8pg.

2. Lewis, Heitkemper and Dirksen. Medical Surgical Nursing. 7th ed: Elesevier Publisher; 2007; 6-8 pg.

3. Mehta. R.S. Oncology Nursing. 1st edition, Jaypee Brothers Publication; 2007;1-34pg.

4. Smelter.SC, Bare. BG. Textbook of Medical Surgical Nursing. South Asian Edition; Brunner and Suddharth Publisher; 2019; 426-437pg.

5. Macpherson LMD. McCann MF. Gibson J. Binnie VI. Stephen KW. The Role of Primary Healthcare Professionals in Oral Cancer Prevention and Detection. British Dental Journal. 2003; 195(5): 277–281, https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4810481. Accessed 2 June 2020.

Received on 31.07.2024 Revised on 07.09.2024

Accepted on 03.10.2024 Published on 30.11.2024

Available online on December 31, 2024

A and V Pub Int. J. of Nursing and Med. Res. 2024; 3(4):181-183.

DOI: 10.52711/ijnmr.2024.41