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The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of prostate cancer and screening and its associated factors in young Black men aged 18 to 40 years. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a convenience sample of 267 young Black men in Austin, Texas. Knowledge about prostate cancer and screening was operationalized through 14 items, including 12 items from the Knowledge about Prostate Cancer Screening Questionnaire (PC knowledge), and two items assessing dietary knowledge and prostate cancer screening controversy. PC knowledge scores were regressed on age, cues to action, health screening experience, and demographic/personal factors. Most participants were African American men of American origin (65.3%) and were college freshmen (18.9%). PC knowledge scores were low, with mean correct responses of 28.5%, mean knowledge score of 5.25 ± 3.81 (possible score range of 0 to 14, with higher scores indicating higher PC knowledge) and a median score of 5.00. On average, 47% of the respondents replied “Don’t Know” to the questions. Overall, PC knowledge scores were low among these young Black men, especially in domains related to risk factors, screening age guidelines, limitations, and diet. It is thus important that these men be educated more on these important domains of prostate cancer and screening so that the decision to screen or not will be an informed one. Health screening experience, residence area, major field of study, and academic classification were significant predictors of knowledge.

This study was conducted to identify the salient behavioral beliefs of young Black men toward prostate cancer screening, and to identify the issues surrounding their comfortability with prostate examinations. A total of 20 Black men, aged between 18 and 40 years, participated in three focus group sessions between June 2013 and July 2013 in Austin, Texas. Participants were asked open-ended questions about: (a) the advantages and disadvantages of screening to identify salient behavioral beliefs about screening and (b) issues that would make prostate examinations comfortable or uncomfortable to identify comfortability factors. Focus group discussions were tape-recorded, transcribed, and content analyzed to identify emerging themes of salient beliefs and comfortability. Also, nine salient behavioral beliefs toward prostate cancer screening were identified, and eight factors were linked to comfortability with prostate examinations. Given the increase of prostate cancer disparity as a public health issue, understanding the beliefs of Black men of prescreening age (18-40 years) may be crucial to the effectiveness of future interventions to improve screening when recommended at later ages.

This study was conducted to identify the salient behavioral beliefs of young Black men toward prostate cancer screening, and to identify the issues surrounding their comfortability with prostate examinations. A total of 20 Black men, aged between 18 and 40 years, participated in three focus group sessions between June 2013 and July 2013 in Austin, Texas. Participants were asked open-ended questions about: (a) the advantages and disadvantages of screening to identify salient behavioral beliefs about screening and (b) issues that would make prostate examinations comfortable or uncomfortable to identify comfortability factors. Focus group discussions were tape-recorded, transcribed, and content analyzed to identify emerging themes of salient beliefs and comfortability. Also, nine salient behavioral beliefs toward prostate cancer screening were identified, and eight factors were linked to comfortability with prostate examinations. Given the increase of prostate cancer disparity as a public health issue, understanding the beliefs of Black men of prescreening age (18-40 years) may be crucial to the effectiveness of future interventions to improve screening when recommended at later ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]