Premium
Betel quid chewing among adult male immigrants from the Indian subcontinent to Italy
Author(s) -
Petti S,
Warnakulasuriya S
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
oral diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.953
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1601-0825
pISSN - 1354-523X
DOI - 10.1111/odi.12768
Subject(s) - indian subcontinent , functional illiteracy , medicine , immigration , descriptive statistics , traditional medicine , demography , oral health , south asia , betel , dentistry , geography , ancient history , statistics , ethnology , mathematics , archaeology , sociology , political science , law , history , structural engineering , engineering , nut
Objective Betel quid chewing (BQC) is an important oral cancer risk factor widespread in the Indian subcontinent. This usage also is common among migrants from this region. As the number of immigrants from South‐East Asia is dramatically increasing in Italy, this survey was aimed at investigating BQC prevalence among immigrants from the Indian subcontinent. Subjects and Methods First‐generation adult male immigrants coming from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, living in Rome, were consecutively selected. They were interviewed using a validated questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were performed, and factors associated to regular BQC were investigated through regression analysis. Results A total of 211 subjects (mean age, 33.8 years) living in Rome for 11 years, on average, participated in the study. BQC prevalence was 37.9% with few differences between Pakistani, Sri Lankans, and Indians. Prevalence among Bangladeshi was 7.3%. 69% of the consumers chewed BQ at least twice daily, 90% chewed BQ with tobacco; 30.3% subjects were smokers and chewers. Chewing parents, smoking, health illiteracy were associated with BQC. Most chewers believed that BQ helps to relieve stress. Conclusions The number of oral cancers in Italy is expected to increase because of BQC dissemination. Therefore, specific awareness campaigns directed to residents of South‐East Asian origin are needed.