OBJECTIVE: To survey patient opinions on prostate cancer (PCa) screening in light of the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendation against its use.
METHODS: We conducted a survey of all-comers to urology and primary care clinics. Participants provided demographic information and responded to a 5-item questionnaire regarding their opinions on screening before and after reading opposing position statements.
RESULTS: The overall response rate was 48%. After excluding incomplete questionnaires, 54 surveys were available for analysis. Patients were predominantly white, middle-aged and older, college-educated men with middle-to-upper-middle-class incomes who were seen at urology clinics. Patients rated their "pre" level of understanding of screening recommendations as good or very good (52%), okay (30%), and poor (19%). After reading the information sheets, good or very good understanding of screening recommendations improved (65%; P = .05), and agreement with the importance of screening remained high (80%). However, nearly 20% of patients expressed a more neutral or less favorable attitude toward the risk-benefit ratio of screening (P = .09). Agreement that men should undergo screening, that screening helps detect cancer, and that screening saves lives remained high, regardless of the exposure.
CONCLUSION: Overall, patients favor PCa screening, but heightened awareness of the current controversy raises concerns about its potential harms. PCa screening is a complex issue, and insight into changing public opinion will be crucial to our future discussions with patients who are wrestling with the decision whether to undergo screening.
Written by:
Maurice MJ, Abouassaly R. Are you the author?
Urology Institute, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH.
Reference: Urology. 2014 Jun 12. pii: S0090-4295(14)00395-1.
doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2014.04.026
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 24929945
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