Prostate-specific antigen testing among young men: an opportunity to improve value

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is widely used for prostate cancer screening.
• Current guidelines do not recommend routine PSA testing for average-risk men under 40.
• The prevalence of PSA testing in younger demographics is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of PSA testing in men younger than currently recommended by guidelines.
• To identify demographic differences, specifically racial disparities, in PSA testing rates among young men.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Health Informational National Trends Surveys (HINTS) data from 2011-2014 and 2017.
• Inclusion of 5178 men, examining PSA testing recall.
• Evaluation of testing rates based on age groups (18-39, 40-44) and race/ethnicity.

Main Results:

• 7% of men aged 18-39 and 22% of men aged 40-44 reported PSA testing.
• Among men under 40, PSA testing was more prevalent in Black men (14%) compared to White (7%), Hispanic (6%), and Asian (8%) men.
• Black men under 40 were significantly more likely to undergo PSA testing (OR 2.14).

Conclusions:

• A notable proportion of young men undergo PSA testing, contrary to current recommendations.
• Black men under 40 exhibit a higher likelihood of receiving PSA screening.
• Reducing PSA testing in young, average-risk men presents a significant opportunity to enhance healthcare value.