Knowledge and attitudes of men about prostate cancer

Abstract

Objective: To ascertain the current level of understanding among older men about prostate cancer, including treatment options and their potential side effects.

Design and setting: Questionnaires administered by general practitioners in five general practices in the Perth metropolitan and regional areas of Western Australia.

Participants: Convenience sample of 503 men aged 40-80 years, with or without prostate cancer, presenting for routine consultations between January and August 2006.

Main outcome measure: Knowledge and attitudes of men about prostate cancer, and predictors of knowledge.

Results: Eighty per cent of men did not know the function of the prostate, and 48% failed to identify prostate cancer as the most common internal cancer in men. Thirty-five per cent had no knowledge of the treatments for prostate cancer and 53% had no knowledge of the side effects of treatments. Asked how they would arrive at a decision about treatment, 70% said they would ask the GP or specialist for information on all their options and then decide themselves.

Conclusion: There is a deficit in knowledge about prostate cancer among men in the at-risk age group, encompassing areas that could delay diagnosis and treatment. Overall, the men preferred some GP or specialist involvement in treatment decision making.