Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117495

Virginia Diane Woods, DrPH, MSN, Department of Health Promotion and Education, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, 10970 Parkland Street Building, Loma Linda, CA 92350, (909) 558-8384, vwoods@llu.edu, Susanne B. Montgomery, PhD, MPH, Dept. of Health Promotion & Education, Loma Linda University, School of Public Health, Nicol Hall Room 1511, Loma Linda, CA 92350, R. Patti Herring, PhD, RN, School of Public Health, Health Promotion & Education, Loma Linda University, Nichol Hall, Room 1509, Loma Linda, CA 92350, Robert Gardner, PhD, Graduate School, Social Policy and Social Research, Loma Linda University, Griggs Hall, Anderson Street, Loma Linda, CA 92354, and Daniel Stokols, PhD, Dept. of Planning, Policy, and Design, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, 206C Social Ecology I, Irvine, CA 92697-7075.

Black American men continue to suffer disproportionately from epidemically high rates of prostate cancer. The incidence rate for Non-Hispanic Black men is 180.6 per 100,000. We hypothesize complex reasons for consistently high death rates from prostate cancer among this vulnerable population are steeped in social factors associated with health access. To examine our hypothesis, we utilized data from the It's All About U prostate cancer prevention study among Black men to investigate social ecological predictors of PSA and DRE early detection screening. Quantitative data from 276 Black men > 40 years old, with no diagnosis of prostate cancer was analyzed to identify individual characteristics, beliefs, practices and attitudes of asymptomatic Black men toward prostate cancer screening. We created a social ecological model with five main levels to identify social factors predictive of PSA test and DRE. To reduce data and identify data patterns, factor analyses (tested for reliability by calculating Cronbach alpha scores) was performed. Variables were standardized with Z-scores. Analyses were conducted with SPSS. Bivariate analyses were performed with Chi-square test of significance and Spearman's rho correlation coefficients. Grouped factors were used to perform logistic regressions. Significant social ecological predictors were: physician's communication message and style (P < 0.027). Physician's engaging communication style encouraged discourse and was predictive of men talking to provider about screening (P < 0.000); active provider encouragement to screen was also predictive of men being screened (P < 0.000); as was men understanding the serious risk of prostate cancer (P < 0.001); culture (P < 0.004); positive interaction with healthcare staff, significant other(s), and providers (P < 0.000); and environmental dimensions - brochures, radio, TV, (P < 0.000). We will discuss findings in light of a need for institutional policy changes toward more aggressive screening for Black men in order to reduce existing health disparities.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify five social ecological factors predictive of Black men taking the PSA test and the DRE.
• Name three healthcare policy changes that will significantly reduce the burden of prostate cancer death rates among Black men.
• Discuss the role of culture and communication quality in Black men's prostate cancer screening behaviors.

Keywords: African American, Cancer Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation