Simple self-exam brochure to screen for oral cancer: a public health model and beta-test

Yousefi, Raha (2013) Simple self-exam brochure to screen for oral cancer: a public health model and beta-test. Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.

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Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to report on the initial reception and efficacy of an educational brochure that details both the importance of screening for oral cancer and how readers should perform self-examinations. This highly treatable disease often goes unnoticed until later stages of the disease at which point the survival rate of the disease drops considerably. Screenings that would detect the disease in the early stages are common practice in many current dental offices and consequentially people who visit the dentist biannually are more likely to have the disease detected early. Unfortunately a large portion of the general public does not regularly visit the general dentist. These individuals often lack the knowledge of the importance of oral cancer screenings and are generally unaware of current oral cancer screening methods. While other brochures regarding oral cancer exist, they are not addressed to the general public and none give a visual walkthrough on how to perform an oral cancer screening. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple self-exam brochure to screen for oral cancer and determine brochure usability with patients. Methods and Materials: 50 new patients (18 male, 32 female) seen in the Department of Periodontics at the University of Pittsburgh were given the self-exam brochure and asked to answer a 14 question survey regarding the readability of the brochure and usefulness of the pictures in the brochure. Results: 78% of patients contended that the brochure was useful for self-screening, while 98% of patients acknowledged that the brochure increased their personal knowledge of oral cancer. Ultimately 100% of patients surveyed said they would recommend the brochure to others. Conclusion: Due to the positive reviews of the brochure it is recommended that a final copy of the brochure be published to increase awareness of oral cancer and allow for individuals of the population to conduct self-screening exams on their own. Fabrication of this brochure has a public health significance of fostering oral cancer awareness in the community and also providing a means for those who cannot afford regular dental care to screen themselves for oral cancer.

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Details

Item Type:	Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper (Master Essay)
Status:	Unpublished
Creators/Authors:	Creators Email Pitt Username ORCID Yousefi, Raha
Contributors:	Contribution Contributors Name Email Pitt Username ORCID Committee Chair LaPorte, Ronald E. rlaporte@pitt.edu RLAPORTE UNSPECIFIED Committee Member Famili, Pouran pof@pitt.edu POF UNSPECIFIED
Date:	June 2013
Date Type:	Publication
Defense Date:	June 2013
Submission Date:	21 June 2013
Access Restriction:	No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately.
Publisher:	University of Pittsburgh
Institution:	University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs:	School of Public Health > Multidisciplinary MPH
Degree:	MPH - Master of Public Health
Thesis Type:	Master Essay
Refereed:	Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Oral, cancer, self-screening
Date Deposited:	11 May 2015 15:36
Last Modified:	04 Jul 2023 11:56
URI:	http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/19080

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