Evaluation of successfulness of a capacity building workshop on smokeless tobacco and areca nut cessation conducted among Dental Surgeons of Sri Lanka: A cross sectional study
Abstract Background- Prevalence of smoking in Sri Lanka shows a gradual reduction whilst the use of smokeless tobacco and areca nut shows an increasing trend. At present, to the best of our knowledge only a few well structured smokeless tobacco/areca nut cessation programmes are conducted in Sri Lanka, which is a gross underachievement considering that betel chewing related oral squamous cell carcinoma being the commonest cancer in Sri Lankan males. As General Dental Practitioners (GDP) do not contribute significantly to smokeless tobacco / areca nut cessation activities at present, capacity building programmes on smokeless tobacco/ areca nut control were carried out. The study evaluated the knowledge, attitude and practices related to smokeless tobacco/ areca nut control among dental surgeonsMethods: Following an one day educational programme on smokeless tobacco / areca nut control, two self administered questionnaires were used to assess the improvement of knowledge and change of attitudes among 663 GDPs .Results - 27.1% of the participants them had received formal tobacco cessation training in the past. Majority had a good knowledge on harmful effects of smokeless tobacco but not on areca nut. Their knowledge on the current legislation on smokeless tobacco control in Sri Lanka and carcinogenicity of areca nut was not satisfactory. Almost all agreed that proper counseling leads to patient quitting the habit, a formal training is necessary to conduct tobacco control activities and it should be the part of the regular treatment modalities. More than 80% of the Dental surgeons believed that they should support strict legislation. Almost 50% agreed on tobacco and areca nut free environment in their dental clinics. Most important factors leading to poor involvement in tobacco cessation activities were lack of expertise and inadequate educational material, not breach of patient privacy and lack of financial incentives. Surprisingly, 20.1% of the dental surgeons had consumed smokeless tobacco / areca nut products in the past and only a few were current users of tobacco and/or areca nut.Conclusions - Well planned workshops are efficient and cost effective in improving knowledge, practices and attitudes of Dental surgeons towards smokeless tobacco / areca nut cessation.