Prostate Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes and Screening Practices among Men in Western Jamaica

African-Caribbean men, particularly Jamaican men, have one of the highest incidences of prostate cancer in the world. This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate knowledge, attitudes, practices and factors associated with prostate cancer screening among men in western Jamaica.

A questionnaire was administered to men 40-93 years old during May to August 2007. The outcome variable of interest was previous prostate cancer screening.

Approximately 35% of men were previously screened for prostate cancer. Men > 70 years were 93% less likely to be screened compared to men 40-49 years (95% CI: 0.01, 0.56). Men living in the parish of Trelawny were 10.5 times more likely not to be screened compared to men in St James (95% CI: 2.33, 47.17) and manual labourers were 5.5 times less likely to have been screened than non-manual labourers (95% CI: 0.97, 31.68). Men who had not been advised to have prostate cancer screening were 92% less likely to be screened than those advised (95% CI: 0.02, 0.29), and men who were not sure of how frequently screening should be conducted were 6.1 times more likely not to be screened compared to those who knew that screening should be conducted annually (95% CI: 1.10, 33.35). Men who visit healthcare providers only when they feel sick were 6.4 times more likely not to be screened compared to men who visit annually (95% CI: 1.63, 25.41).

A substantial proportion of Jamaican men ≥ 40 years had never been screened for prostate cancer. Interventions should be instituted to make prostate cancer screening readily available and to promote active participation of men in these programmes especially men ≥ 70 years, men with less economic resources, and men who do not routinely visit a physician or health facility.