Commentary: Building an Evidence Base for Promoting Informed Prostate Cancer Screening Decisions: An Overview of a Cancer Prevention and Control Program

Abstract

<p class="Pa7">African American (AA) men have signifi­cantly higher mortality rates from prostate cancer (PrCA) than other racial groups. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify strategies for promoting informed PrCA screening decisions among this population. This article details the community-driven, social and behavioral research being imple­mented by a Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program (CPCP) to support the development of person-to-person and technological interventions to improve the dissemination of PrCA information to AA men and their families. This article con­cludes with four recommendations to ad­vance future research and practice related to the use of interventions for promoting informed PrCA decision-making among AAs. These recommendations include: 1) informing men about controversial screen­ing recommendations; 2) including families in educational interventions about PrCA; 3) using technology as a modality for dissemi­nating PrCA information when appropriate; and 4) aiming to create interventions that can be translated into community and clini­cal settings. <em></em></p><p class="Pa7"><em>Ethn Dis. </em>2017; 27(1):55-62; doi:10.18865/ed.27.1.55.</p>

African American Women’s Involvement in Promoting Informed Decision-Making for Prostate Cancer Screening Among Their Partners/Spouses

“…In their commentary on promoting informed prostate cancer screening decisions, Owens, Friedman, and Hebert (2017) recommend that prostate cancer screening should be treated as a “family affair” since family members, including partners, make men more aware of prostate cancer screening, encourage them to visit health-care providers, and are the driving force behind health-related action. This sentiment was reiterated in focus groups; women expressed a desire to be informed themselves, so that they could educate, advocate, and support their partner’s screening decisions.…”

“…While there is a sizeable literature on the importance of women’s role in decision-making for prostate cancer treatment ( Chambers, Pinnock, Lepore, Hughes, & O’Connell, 2011 ; Le et al, 2016 ; Manne et al, 2011 ; Rivers et al, 2011 ; Owens, Friedman, & Hebert, 2017 ; Van Bogaert, Hawkins, Pingree, & Jarrard, 2012 ), we found only four studies that explored the potential role for women spouses/partners of African American men in the process of decision-making for prostate cancer screening ( Friedman et al, 2015 ; Hunter et al, 2015 ; Jackson et al, 2015 ; Miller, 2014a ).…”

The awareness of women on prostate cancer: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol

“…Hence, they can make observations that men themselves do not observe about their health [ 9 ]. Much evidence exists on the critical role of women in decision-making in the treatment of their spouse or partner diagnosed with prostate cancer [ 10 , 11 ]. Similar studies have also explored their potential role in screening the disease.…”

Prostate Cancer Awareness Among Women: A Mixed-methods Systematic Review

“…The awareness of women about the existence of PCa increased when the disease was mentioned compared to an initial request for women to list cancers (26). Qualitative evidence showed that women were aware of PCa (18,30). They appreciated and speci cally requested for PCa education partly because they could not tell the location of the prostate gland (18).…”

“…Qualitative evidence showed that women were aware of PCa (18,30). They appreciated and speci cally requested for PCa education partly because they could not tell the location of the prostate gland (18). Thus, quantitative and qualitative evidence indicates that women know about PCa.…”