TOBACCO AND BETEL NUT CHEWING HABITS AMONGST FIJIANS OF INDIAN DESCENT LIVING IN SUVA, FIJI

Tobacco and betel nut chewing have been associated to causing oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and increased risk to developing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Objective:i) To determine the prevalence of chewing betel nut and smokeless tobacco amongst Fijians of Indian descent living in Suva, Fiji. ii) To determine the incidence rate of OPMDs in Fijians of Indian descents living in Suva, Fiji.

Methods:This was a cross sectional study, designed to analyze if Fijians of Indian descent are exposed to OSCC risk factors. Firstly, a structured questionnaire was used to interview participants in order to gather information on their chewing habits. Participants included Fijians of Indian descent staying in Suva from the age of 18 and above. Thereafter, an oral examination was carried out for all participants to identify the presence of any OPMDs.

Result:This study revealed that out ofthe120participants, 45% consumed either tobacco or betel quid. Furthermore, 14.2% of the participants were chewing smokeless tobacco, 20% chew betel quid or paan masala and 32.5% of the participants smoked tobacco. No OPMD’s were detected in the sample.

Conclusion:There was a moderate prevalence of individuals chewing smokeless tobacco and betel quid/ paan masala (45%). There were no OPMDs detected in the sample.