Barriers and Facilitators to Uptake of Prostate Cancer Screening in a Kenyan Rural Community

Abstract

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is curable with early detection, yet it remains a major public health problem globally and a leading cause of mortality among men. The objective of the study was to explore the barriers and facilitators to the uptake of prostate cancer screening among men aged 40–69 years in a rural community in Kenya.
 Methods: We utilized an explorative qualitative design and purposive sampling to select participants. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) and seven in-depth interviews were conducted among 59 men aged 40–69 years and key informants in Kiambu County, Kenya. Data was collected using a semi-structured guide and content analysis was done.
 Results: The facilitators of screening included experience of symptoms, proximity and prominence of cancer, accessibility, and advocacy. The barriers to screening included lack of knowledge, fatalistic beliefs, low risk perception, stigma, and male dominance factors.
 Conclusion: This study provides vital information for the development of interventions to enhance shared decision-making in regard to PC screening. Capacity building of clinicians, task shifting and provision of well-coordinated affordable culturally sensitive screening services should be explored. The concerted effort among policy makers and all health care workers to overcome the stated barriers to screening is highly recommended.

The Effect of Educational Program on Knowledge and Commitment of Male Employees at Tanta University Regarding Prostate Cancer Screening

“…Concerning to the reason for getting screened, the most common cause was the emergence of symptoms followed by worried about prostate cancer and all of them had negative results (Table 2). This result is congruent with Mbugua et al (2021) (19) who conducted a study to explore the barriers and facilitators to the uptake of prostate cancer screening among men aged 40-69 years in a rural community in Kenya and found that most of the participants reported that experience of symptoms, worried about prostate cancer were the main motivators for their prostate cancer screening. Commitment of men with prostate cancer screening is highly dependent on their knowledge about PC and the benefits of early detection.…”

“…So, understanding of the disease and its screening continue to be important areas for discussion among the men population for early detection of the disease (18) . Studies have found that a lack of knowledge about the disease and its screening tests serves as a barrier to effective cancer prevention and control (19,20) . Dissemination of information via education programs about prostate cancer and its screening through different community settings can promote active engagement and commitment of men with screening (21) .…”

Effectiveness of a Community Health Worker-Led Intervention on Knowledge, Perception, and Prostate Cancer Screening among Men in Rural Kenya

“…The proportion of men with a history of PC screening was assessed. Knowledge was measured using 13 items [ 11 ] and perception of self-vulnerability was assessed using 11 items using a Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). The scores were computed for the level of agreement at baseline and postintervention.…”

“…Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. e proportion of men with a history of PC screening was assessed. Knowledge was measured using 13 items [11] and perception of self-vulnerability was assessed using 11 items using a Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5).…”

“…The available statistics show low PC screening rates among men in SSA despite them having a higher risk of developing PC [ 2 , 9 ]. This has been attributed to low knowledge and negative beliefs [ 10 , 11 ]. The Ministry of Health, Kenya, rolled out cancer screening guidelines that recommend shared decision-making during PC screening among men aged 40 to 69 years [ 5 ].…”