The impact of a community-based health education programme on oral cancer risk factor awareness among a Gujarati community

Objectives To determine any differences in oral cancer risk factor awareness and behaviour among first and second generation Gujarati muslims and to investigate the impact of a community-based health education programme on oral cancer risk factor awareness. Design Respondents completed a confidential, bilingual questionnaire in English and Gujarati regarding alcohol, tobacco, paan, sopari, paan masala and gutka use before and after a community-based health education programme on oral cancer risk factors. Setting Community Health Fair. Indian Muslim Welfare Association, Batley, West Yorkshire. Subjects Ninety-six male and female Gujarati muslims aged 16 to 81 years. Main outcome measures Quantitative results on oral cancer risk factor awareness before and after a health education programme. Quantitative figures obtained from the questionnaire with regards to alcohol, tobacco, paan, sopari, paan masala and gutka usage. Results There were very low levels of alcohol consumption among Gujarati muslims. First generation Gujarati males consumed significantly more tobacco than second generation Gujarati males, difference in proportion 0.30 (0.03 to 0.56, p = 0.03). There was complete absence of paan use among Gujarati females. First generation Gujarati males consumed significantly higher amounts of sopari compared with their male counterparts in the second generation (p = 0.003). There were very low rates of paan masala use. Only first generation Gujarati males consumed gutka. Significantly more first generation males and females correctly identified all oral cancer risk factors after the health education intervention compared with baseline (difference 0.40, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.57, p = <0.001). Significantly more second generation males and females correctly identified all oral cancer risk factors after the health education intervention compared with baseline (difference 0.45, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.61, p = <0.001). Conclusion Our study demonstrated significant differences in oral cancer risk factor awareness and practices among first and second generation Gujarati muslims and that a local community-based health education programme was effective in raising awareness.