Socioeconomic and Lifestyle Determinants of Laryngeal Carcinoma: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Tertiary Center

Abstract

Background: Laryngeal carcinoma is a major health issue worldwide, with a wide range of incidence rates depending on socioeconomic status and lifestyle choices. This study aimed to investigate the socioeconomic and lifestyle risk factors associated with laryngeal carcinoma among patients in a tertiary care hospital in Dhaka Methods: This observational cross-sectional study took place over six months, from March to September 2015, at the Department of ENT and Head Neck Surgery, Dhaka Medical College Hospital. One hundred patients with confirmed laryngeal carcinoma were included through convenient and purposive non-randomized sampling. Researchers collected data via face-to-face interviews and physical exams, then analyzed it using SPSS version 17 with chi-square tests and logistic regression. Results: The study included males (92%), with the highest incidence in the 51-60 age group (52%). Patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds made up 74% of cases, 64% were illiterate, and 73% lived in rural areas. Supraglottic involvement was more frequent (66%) than glottic (34%). Smoking was the most common habit (66%), followed by a combination of smoking and chewing tobacco (18%). Logistic regression showed that smoking and chewing tobacco (OR=5.5), smoking (OR=3.49), lower socioeconomic status (OR=2.86), illiteracy (OR=2.46), and living in rural areas (OR=2.34) were significant risk factors. Conclusion: This study shows a strong link between laryngeal carcinoma and factors like socioeconomic status, education, and tobacco use in the Bangladeshi population. The results are consistent with global trends that indicate a higher cancer burden among disadvantaged groups. This highlights the need for targeted prevention efforts and better healthcare access in areas with limited resources.