Predictors for the symptomatic prostate cancer patient's delays in seeking care

This study aims to determine the predictors for the symptomatic prostate cancer patient's delays in seeking care.

We followed a cohort of 931 men with prostate cancer from Stockholm County (Sweden) asking about socio-demographic and information-level characteristics as well as the length of delay in seeking care.

Of the 511 patients who returned a completed questionnaire, 219 (43%) reported having clinical symptoms before prostate cancer was diagnosed. Of all men with clinical symptoms, self-employed men were more likely to make an early first contact with the health-care system than pensioners or men with other employment (relative risk (RR), 3.9; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-11.0). Men who had obtained moderate or much information from the internet about prostate cancer were more likely to have made an early first contact with the health-care system (RR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.9). Men who had obtained moderate or much information from health-care staff (RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-1.6), or from any doctor (RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-1.8) or from family members/acquaintances (RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.9) had an early first visit to the health-care system. Men who were 70 to 80 years old started treatment earlier than men who were 50 to 69 years old (RR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4-3.6).

The patients' level of information about prostate cancer obtained from the internet and other sources such as the health-care system, doctors or family members/acquaintances coupled with their employment status were influential in leading to early first contact and first visit to the health-care system. Older patients started treatment earlier than younger patients.