Assessment of prostate cancer awareness and screening knowledge among men in Najran, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common male cancers and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among males worldwide. Efforts to increase men's awareness, understanding of the symptoms and risk factors, and provision of early medical assistance are crucial for the prevention and detection of PCa. This study assessed the level of awareness, knowledge, and screening for PCa among male participants in Najran, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 341 male participants from 19 June 2024 to 25 September 2024. An online questionnaire was used to collect data. Bivariate data were analyzed and associations were considered significant when the p-value was ≤ 0.05. A total of 341 completed survey samples were collected. The mean age of the participants was 42 years (SD ± 8.17). The study found that most participants (70.4%) had adequate knowledge of PCa. However, only 30.5% were aware of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, while a small minority (3.2%) had visited a specialized physician regarding PCa. The findings suggest that about 70% of male participants in Najran, Saudi Arabia, have an adequate level of awareness regarding the risk factors and screening for PCa. Recommendations include organizing more awareness campaigns, sharing information on social media, encouraging men to undergo screening tests, providing health education to primary care physicians and public-based organizations, and conducting further studies with larger numbers of participants to increase PCa awareness in Najran Province, Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: Attitude; Awareness; Knowledge; Prostate-specific antigen; Public health; Risk factors.