Challenges of Screening for Prostate Cancer: A Secondary Analysis Using HINTS Data

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men after skin cancer; as well as being the third leading cause of death from cancer among men. The U.S. preventative services task force recommends that clinicians inform men ages 55 – 69 years of age about the potential benefits and harms associated with prostate cancer screening, specifically prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. This study was a secondary data analysis of the National Cancer Institute’s Health Information National Trends Survey or HINTS which includes national and regional data addressing factors associated with take-up of PSA screening. Survey respondents included 1500 men, mean age 59 (± 13.5) years, 75.2% self-identified as white and 40.2% reported having a college degree or higher. Analysis of these data revealed that men who have a college degree or higher were more likely to, have had a PSA test and to have been offered a PSA test by a healthcare provider. Additionally, men with a college education or higher were more likely to report understanding the efficacy of the PSA test when compared to high school graduates (OR = 2.82). Black males were less likely to receive a PSA test, been offered a PSA test by a healthcare provider, or report understanding the efficacy of the test when compared to their white counterparts (OR = 0.66). These finding can inform targeted interventions to increase appropriate use of PSA testing