| Learning Objective #1: Describe the barriers to prostate cancer screening in Blacks | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Describe methods of increasing the awareness of Blacks regarding the need for early prostate cancer screening |
Significance: Black men are diagnosed with prostate cancer later than Whites and the mortality rate is twice as high in Blacks than in Whites (American Cancer Society 2001). Attitudes determine how men view the necessity for cancer screening. This is supported by the literature (Watts, 1998, Reynolds, Tigen and Starr, 2000). Men who had been diagnosed with the disease delayed treatment or opted to have less aggressive forms of treatment, which was least likely to cause the feared side effects. Aim: To investigate the health beliefs of a sample of Black men about their prostate health and to determine if an educational program would lead to an increase in prostate screenings. Methodology:A convenience sample of 100 Black men from two churches were surveyed about their health seeking behaviors and their knowledge of prostate cancer screening. Forty (45) of these men attended a seminar on early detection as a means of decreasing mortality in prostate cancer. Results: Ages ranged from 40 to 77. All had been exposed to knowledge of prostate cancer but 75% stated that the information received from their physicians did not lead them to pursue regular screenings. Overwhelming, (80%) the men stated that they were embarrassed to have the digital rectal examination performed and that the perceived effects of prostate cancer (impotence and incontinence) prevented them from pursuing regular screenings. Another seminar was held in six months and the survey repeated. The men openly discussed the implications of prostate cancer and significantly more men had been screened.Wives were instumental in encouraging visits to the physicians. Implications: Nurses form a very important link between the formal health care system and the community and must continue to provide grassroots education to the at-risk population of Blacks in order to decrease the mortality rate and health care burden of prostate cancer.
Back to Men's Health
Back to 14th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
10-12 July 2003