The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #40697

May T. Dobal, PhD, RN, College of Nursing, Wayne State University, 362 Cohn Bldg., 5557 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202, 313/577-2221, mdobal@wayne.edu and Martha F. Cothorn, MS, RN, OCN, Nursing, John D. Dingell VAMC, 4646 John R St., Detroit, MI 48201.

African American (AA) men, 40 years old and older may not participate in prostate cancer (PC) screening because of negative attitudes, beliefs, or limited knowledge about screening procedures. Identification of the underlying reasons for low participation is difficult because of the limited research that explores AA men's health beliefs and feelings, and the effect of these factors on screening decisions. The purposes of this descriptive qualitative study were to identify the social, cultural, behavioral, and age-related determinants of AA men's participation in PC screening programs and to understand the complex factors that influence their decisions. Six focus groups, with 6-10 participants each, were conducted for AA men who have made a PC screening or treatment decision. After informed consent was obtained, each participant was asked to complete brief demographic and PC knowledge questionnaires. Ground rules for the focus group were reviewed. A semi-structured interview guide consisting of open-ended questions about PC screening and decision making was used. Key questions were generated from the Health Belief Model (HBM) to guide the discussion. Qualitative data analysis will include reviewing the transcripts and audiotapes comprehensively, categorizing responses according to the HBM, extracting major concepts, and synthesizing the overall themes.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Describe the social, cultural, behavioral, and age-related determinants of African American men's participation in prostate cancer screening decisions.
• Identify factors that facilitate or impede African American men's participation in prostate cancer screening programs.
• Identify health beliefs of African Americans that facilitate or impede participation in prostate cancer screening programs.
• Apply the results of the focus groups to other projects in order to increase participation in prostate cancer screening programs.

Keywords: African American, Decision-Making

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.