Prostate Specific Antigen Testing Behaviors for Prostate Cancer Screening Among U.S. Immigrants: A Cross-sectional...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cancer Screening
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Immigrants represent 14% of the U.S. population and face barriers to healthcare access.
• Previous studies indicate lower screening rates for breast and colorectal cancers among immigrants.
• Prostate cancer screening rates among U.S. immigrants have not been previously evaluated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize prostate cancer screening behaviors in U.S. immigrants.
• To identify factors influencing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing among this population.
• To explore potential strategies for enhancing PSA screening for immigrants.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2018 National Health Interview Surveys.
• Inclusion of 22,997 respondents (3,257 foreign-born, 19,740 U.S.-born).
• Use of complex samples logistic regression to examine relationships between immigrant characteristics and PSA testing.

Main Results:

• Foreign-born individuals had substantially lower PSA testing rates (43%) compared to U.S.-born individuals (60%).
• Factors associated with increased PSA testing included longer U.S. residency (>15 years), English proficiency, and annual physician visits.
• Significant disparities were observed among immigrant subgroups, with Asian immigrants exhibiting the lowest screening rates.

Conclusions:

• U.S. immigrants exhibit lower rates of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing.
• Enhancing healthcare utilization and providing language services are crucial for improving prostate cancer screening equity.
• Addressing these factors may help reduce screening disparities between immigrants and nonimmigrants.