Tea industry is one of the oldest industries in India. In India the four main tea-producing states are Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Tea is also grown in parts of Tripura and Himachal Pradesh. There are more than one million workers in the tea industry in India comprising mainly of scheduled castes, tribes and ethnic minorities. Poor socio-economic conditions, ignorance due to illiteracy, over-crowded and unhygienic living conditions in the residential colonies make tea garden population vulnerable to various communicable diseases and malnutrition. This study was contemplated with an aim to assess the tobacco use and prevalence of premalignant lesions and oral cancer among tea plantation workers, Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, India.
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess the tobacco use pattern, its frequency and type. Individual oral examination was done by a single examiner to check the premalignant lesions and oral cancer among tea plantation workers, Nilgiri Hills. Data was collected using a pretested Questionnaire, which included Demographic data, tobacco habits, its frequency and form. The data collected was analysed using SPSS version15.
showed that among 400 study population from 5 tea estates, 46% had no formal education and 65% had indigenous brushing habits. 52% of oral mucosal lesions were detected, out of which most commonest was leukoplakia 34%, 42% tobacco pouch keratosis and 6% malignant oral tumours. Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in the study population was due to tobacco usage and lack of awareness regarding the deleterious effects of the products used.
Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of premature deaths and diseases, the dangers from smoking and chewing tobacco are well documented within the literature but the public’s lack of knowledge of the risks is a concern. Health professionals are encouraged to ensure that the public is made aware of these risks.
The author.
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The author has declared no conflicts of interest.