Betel Quid and Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders in a Periurban Township in Myanmar

PLoS One. 2016 Sep 9;11(9):e0162081. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162081. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

This study aims to describe betel quid chewing practice and compare oral potentially malignant disorders between chewers and non-chewers of betel quid among residents in Dagon Myothit (East) Township, Myanmar. The study used a cross-sectional design conducted with a representative sample of 542 adults aged 18 years and above in the township. The trained interviewers collected data using a pretested structured questionnaire. On-site oral examination was done for suspected oral lesions. The mean age of the respondents was 45 years and 59% were women. Fifty-two percent of the respondents were currently in the habit of chewing betel quids (72% of men and 39% of women). Among 284 current betel quid chewers, 240 (85%) chewed betel quids together with tobacco. Out of 284 current betel quid chewers, 24 (8.5%) were found to have oral potentially malignant disorders; out of 258 betel quid non-chewers, only 1 (0.4%) was found to have oral potentially malignant disorders. This highlights the growing importance of smokeless tobacco use as public health problem.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Areca / adverse effects*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Life Style
  • Male
  • Mastication
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Mouth Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Myanmar / epidemiology
  • Nicotiana / adverse effects
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grant number 200630868 and the Department of Medical Research, http://www.dmrlm.gov.mm/. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.