Nurses and barbers united: A community-based approach to prostate screening of African American men

Although deaths from prostate cancer have been on the decline, prostate cancer remains the leading cancer among men and the second leading cause of cancer mortality among men in the United States (American Cancer Society [ACS], 2004). The prostate cancer incidence rate among African American (A-A) men is 66% higher than the rate is in Caucasian men, and the prostate cancer death rate is two or more times as high among African Americans as in any other racial or ethnic group (ACS, 2004). Since the use of early detection tests for prostate cancer became relatively common, the prostate cancer death rate has dropped (Ross, Uhler, & Williams,2005). Some studies show that A-A males have lower levels of knowledge regarding prostate cancer and are less likely to undergo the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination(DRE) than their Caucasian counterparts(Ross, Uhler, & Williams, 2005). It is believed that awareness of screening and perceived risk contribute to these disparities(Ross, Uhler, & Williams, 2005). The purpose of this project is to promote prostate cancer screening, education about disease risk and the importance of early detection, and survivorship among African American males who frequent African American–owned barber shops.