Demographics, family histories, and psychological characteristics of prostate carcinoma screening participants

Cancer. 1999 Mar 15;85(6):1305-12. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19990315)85:6<1305::aid-cncr13>3.0.co;2-i.

Abstract

Background: The goals of this study were to 1) understand the reasons that men seek prostate carcinoma screening, in light of the ongoing medical controversy surrounding screening; and 2) assess the level of psychological distress and perceived risk among men seeking screening, and whether or not these variables were dependent on a man's family history of prostate carcinoma.

Methods: The subjects were 126 men (40% had a family history of prostate carcinoma) who participated in a free prostate carcinoma detection program. Questionnaires, which were completed prior to prostate carcinoma screening, included demographic and medical information, reasons for screening participation, general and cancer-related psychological distress, and perceived risk for prostate carcinoma.

Results: Among both family history groups, self-referral was the most common reason for attending the screening, compared with receiving a recommendation from a health professional or from a friend or family member. Men with a positive family history were not more distressed than those without a family history; but as the authors predicted, men with a positive family history of prostate carcinoma did report higher levels of perceived risk relative to those without a family history. In addition, an interaction revealed that psychological distress was greater among men with a family history only among those who also reported elevated perceived risk.

Conclusions: Similar to other prostate carcinoma screening programs, men in the current sample largely elected to attend the screening on their own. Furthermore, although perceived risk was higher among men with a family history compared with those without a family history, psychological distress was greater among men with a family history only among those who also reported elevated perceived risk. Thus, among men with a family history of the disease, perceived risk may be a marker of elevated psychological distress. Screening programs should assess family history and perceived risk because of the potential psychological implications for screening participants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Attitude to Health
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / psychology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / psychology
  • Risk Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires