Awareness and Use of the Prostate-Specific Antigen Test

Posted by James

INTRODUCTION

Although deaths from prostate cancer have declined over the past several years, prostate cancer remains the leading cancer among men, and the second leading cause of cancer mortality among men in the United States. During 2004, an estimated 230,110 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and about 29,900 men are predicted to die from the disease. African-American men have greater incidence of prostate cancer (Casodex canadian is an oral non-steroidal anti-androgen for prostate cancer) and higher mortality rates from the disease than other ethnic or racial groups in the United States. Incidence among African-American men appears to be about 60% higher than the rate for white men. Comparisons to Asian/Pacific Islanders are even more striking, as African-American men have more than three times the incidence and almost six times the death rate from prostate cancer. In addition, there is some evidence that prostate cancer may develop at earlier ages in African Americans than in the general population. Further, African-American men have a greater likelihood of more advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. Finally, prostate cancer () is more likely to occur in men with a first-degree relative (such as a father or brother) who has had the disease. It is not known whether the differences described are due to biology, behavior, environment, access to healthcare, culture or a combination of these factors.

The literature on awareness of prostate cancer (Generic Casodex Treating prostate cancer) and knowledge about the disease has been mixed over the past several years. Some studies have reported low- levels of awareness and knowledge among men in general, while others have reported moderate-to-higher levels of awareness and knowledge. Other studies showed that African-American men have lower levels of knowledge regarding prostate cancer than white men. Variables describing demographic and socioeconomic status variables, including years of education, level of income and race, have been associated with awareness and knowledge.

White men are more likely than African Americans to undergo the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, and being older and having higher levels of education or income have been associated with greater knowledge or test use. Variables describing family have been linked to use of the PSA test. Being married has been associated with both increased knowledge and greater use of the PSA test, and having health insurance has been linked to using the test. Finally, spouses and family members and friends have been found to have a role in screening decisions and test use.

None of the studies specific to African-American men have examined associations of sociodemo-graphic and related variables with either knowledge of prostate cancer or test use. Furthermore, none of these studies examined other types of variables, such as health status, family history and perceived risk of getting cancer among African-American men.

Using the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2000, the present study examines knowledge about the PSA test and use of the test among non-Hispanic African-American men aged >45 by sociodemographic, family composition, health status and perceived risk variables. The major purposes of the study were to examine the prevalence of being aware of the PSA test and using that test and examining factors that may be related to both awareness and test use among African-American men.