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Digital rectal examinations and prostate cancer screening: attitudes of African American men
D E Gelfand1, J Parzuchowski, M Cort
1Department of Sociology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
Purpose/Objectives:
To explore the relationship between attitudes toward digital rectal examination (DRE) and participation in prostate cancer screening among African American men.
Design:
Survey.
Setting:
Prostate cancer screenings with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test held at churches with African American members in Detroit, MI.
Sample:
613 African American men between the ages of 40 and 70.
Methods:
Self-administered, structured questionnaires examining attitudes toward DRE, past experiences with DRE, and fear of cancer.
Main Outcome Measures:
Willingness to undergo DRE.
Findings:
The majority of men who were screened had positive attitudes about DRE. Fear of cancer was associated with negative attitudes toward DRE. DREs were not a deterrent among men who attended the screenings.
Conclusion:
Negative attitudes toward DRE do not necessarily deter African American men from participating in prostate cancer screenings.
Implications For Nursing Practice:
Prostate cancer screening programs should attempt to use both DRE and PSA. More reliable prostate cancer indicators are obtained by incorporating DRE with PSA tests.