The informed man: Attitudes and information needs on prostate cancer screening

Abstract

Abstract

Background:

Health attitudes need to be explored and how men obtain health information identified in order to discover the barriers men face and ways of assisting men to make an informed choice about prostate cancer screening.

Methods:

For this purpose focus group interviews were conducted with 67 men. Purposeful sampling techniques were used to recruit men with a previous diagnosis of prostate cancer and asymptomatic men. Focus groups were conducted by the same male facilitator and individual groups were homogeneous for the presence or absence of prostate cancer. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed according to the principles of thematic analysis.

Results:

Attitudes and information needs about prostate cancer screening were the same between asymptomatic men and those with a previous diagnosis of prostate cancer. Poor knowledge of health, limited access to health information, a poor patient-doctor relationship and psychosocial masculine attitudes contributed to a poor understanding of prostate cancer screening. Despite these barriers, and a poor understanding, all participants favoured prostate cancer screening. The Internet was identified as a resource that could be used to better inform men about health issues.

Conclusions:

Psychosocial masculine attitudes negate the manner in which men interact with their doctor, use health services, access health information and contemplate their well being. The Internet may provide men with a vehicle to access health information in an environment that overcomes these identified barriers. Effectively using this technology may improve the promotion of men's reproductive health issues by health professionals.