Purposeful Interaction: A Descriptive Framework of Latino Men's Communication about Prostate Cancer

Communication about the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer is critical to informed decision-making. This need is magnified by the uncertainty surrounding the survival benefit of mass screening for prostate cancer and definitive treatment for all early stage prostate cancers. It is especially relevant for men who are at higher risk for prostate cancer by virtue of being a first degree relative (FDMR) of a man with prostate cancer. However, FDMRs may not be aware of their risk status if they have not been informed that a family member has had prostate cancer. This lack of information impairs their ability to fully participate in informed decision-making about screening for themselves. Communication about prostate cancer by men with prostate cancer is poorly understood, especially among minority men, such as Latinos. The purpose of this study was to develop a descriptive framework of the communication processes used by Latino men with prostate cancer to communicate with others about their diagnosis. We used a constructivist grounded theory approach to analyze and construct a descriptive framework from semi-structured interviews with 30 men. The overarching process was Purposeful Interacting built around Spheres of Communication including Inner Circle, Experts, Beneficiaries, Work, and Outer Circle. Balanced within and influenced by the Spheres were crosscutting processes of Respectful Silence and Selective Disclosure. These findings provide direction for developing interventions to promote discussion of a prostate cancer diagnosis within families.