Abstract
Background: India contributes for one-third of the total burden of oral cancer worldwide. Lower socioeconomic groups are more affected with oral cancer as they are more attracted towards tobacco consumption and diagnosed in later stages due to lack of health-related awareness and diagnostic tools. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge and awareness about oral cancer, its risk factors and to ascertain the distribution of risk factors in the urban slum population.
 Methods: A cross-sectional survey conducted in the urban-slum population of Jodhpur in 2019 using cluster sampling strategy to collect data from 1200 participants. The semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on knowledge and awareness for oral cancer, its risk factors, signs, symptoms and distribution of different patterns of risk factors for oral cancer.
 Results: Out of surveyed 1200 participants, 48.5 % were males and 51.4 % were females. 46.6% males and 53.4% females of the study population heard about oral cancer Among study population, 28.9 % reported tobacco, 27.8% smoking, 29.8% alcohol and 27% betel-nut chewing as risk factor of oral cancer. Almost 53% considered oral cancer as a consequence of dental treatment and 49% believed that it can transmitted through close contact. The knowledge about signs or symptoms of oral cancer was quite low in urban-slums. Consumption of various risk factors like tobacco, alcohol, both alcohol and tobacco, arecanut were significantly associated with gender. 
 Conclusion: This study highlights the lack of awareness regarding oral cancer and its risk factors in the urban-slum population. A significant number of the population in the study were tobacco or alcohol users which makes them more vulnerable to oral malignant diseases. This emphasized the need for health education interventions for raising oral cancer awareness in these high-risk groups.
 Keywords: Awareness, oral cancer, tobacco, urban slum
Highlights
In India, the highest numbers of oral cancer patients were accounted for, which alone contributes one-third of the total burden of oral cancer worldwide [1]
Lower socioeconomic groups are more affected with oral cancer as they are more attracted towards tobacco consumption and diagnosed in later stages due to lack of health-related awareness and diagnostic tools
This study highlights the lack of awareness regarding oral cancer and its risk factors in the urban-slum population
Summary
In India, the highest numbers of oral cancer patients were accounted for, which alone contributes one-third of the total burden of oral cancer worldwide [1]. Lower socioeconomic groups are more affected with oral cancer as they are more attracted towards tobacco consumption and diagnosed in later stages due to lack of health-related awareness and diagnostic tools. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and awareness about oral cancer, its risk factors and to ascertain the distribution of risk factors in the urban slum population. Conclusion: This study highlights the lack of awareness regarding oral cancer and its risk factors in the urban-slum population. A significant number of the population in the study were tobacco or alcohol users which makes them more vulnerable to oral malignant diseases This emphasized the need for health education interventions for raising oral cancer awareness in these high-risk groups.
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