Abstract B25: Prostate cancer factual knowledge and misconceptions among African American, Jamaican, and Bahamian men

Introduction: The major risk factors for developing prostate cancer are age, African American (AA) race, and family history. AA men have greater burden of incidence and mortality from this disease. Prostate cancer knowledge has been linked with prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing in some studies but not in others. The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of knowledge about prostate cancer among AA (U.S.-born), Jamaican, and Bahamian black men, and to examine selected socio-demographic and ethno-cultural correlates. Methods: Data were collected on a convenience sample of 448 AA men, 48 Jamaican men residing in the Southeastern U.S., and 55 Bahamian men in the Bahamas. Men were asked questions about their knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding prostate cancer and prostate cancer screening behaviors using DRE and PSA. Data were self-reported survey responses and analyzed using SAS. Results: Study participants were likely married (54%), had some college or technical training (78%), and employed (60%). Over 90% of the men reported hearing of the DRE and 77% had heard of the PSA test. Prostate cancer knowledge was found to have two dimensions, a scientific or factual dimension and a misconceptions dimension. Four variables: education, income, perceived health status, and PSA screening interval were found to be associated with fact-based knowledge and misconceptions. Men with higher levels of education and men who reported recent screening (within 2 years) with a PSA test were associated with higher scores on the factual dimension. By contrast, men who reported never or rarely having had a PSA test, men with higher incomes, and men reporting higher levels of health status were associated with higher scores on the misconceptions factor. There were no differences by ethnicity on either dimension of prostate cancer knowledge (factual knowledge; misconceptions). Conclusions: Ethnically diverse black men appear to have varying levels of both factual knowledge and misconceptions regarding prostate cancer despite targeted cancer communication and health promotion efforts. It appears that black men with higher levels of misconceptions regarding prostate cancer and prostate cancer screening were less likely to report recent screening with a PSA test. PSA testing has been positively linked with early stage diagnosis and improved treatment outcomes in black men. Hence, future strategies and culturally targeted interventions may seek to increase the levels of factual knowledge and reduce the levels of misconceptions that black men may have about this highly complex disease. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B25.