Background: Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is an invasive epithelial neoplasm that most commonly occurs on the floor of the mouth, tongue and hard palate. Tobacco and alcohol are well-documented risk factors in the development of OSCC. It is widely recognised that deprivation leads to poorer health outcomes. Consequently, this study examines the relationship between social deprivation and OSCC in patients attending the Oral and Maxillofacial Department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), a tertiary referral hospital for the Mid-West of Ireland.
Methods: 42 patients presented with OSCC to UHL in the period 2018-2023. Area level deprivation for each patient was calculated based on the Pobal Index of Deprivation, a compilation of indicators of deprivation including education, employment and housing status using data from the 2016 census of Ireland.
Results: The incidence rate ratio (IRR) for patients with OSCC and below-average levels of deprivation was 3.09. The floor of the mouth (45%), followed by the tongue (26%) were the most common sites of OSCC for patients attending UHL.
Conclusion: There is a socio-economic inequality evident amongst patients attending UHL with OSCC between 2018 and 2023.