Physician-patient discussions about prostate-specific antigen test use among African-American men

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between physician-patient discussions, demographic and health-related variables, and PSA test use. Of the previous studies that examined physician-patient discussions about PSA test use, none focused on African-American men.

Using a sample of African-American men (N=739) aged > or = 40 years who had participated in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2000, we assessed demographic, health status and other variables related to two PSA test use outcomes: 1) had a PSA test within the past year, and 2) had > or = 3 PSA tests within the past five years.

More than three-fourths (76.6%) of our sample reported that their doctors had discussed with them the advantages and disadvantages of the PSA test before administering it. The bivariate analysis showed a number of variables positively associated with PSA test use including men aged > or = 50, having health insurance coverage and having participated in physician-patient discussions about the test.

Despite the high percentage of men who had discussions with their doctor, there was a large number of men who had neither heard of nor undergone a PSA test. More efforts should be made by the healthcare community to promote prostate cancer screening education and physician-patient discussions.