Barriers related to screening examinations for prostate cancer

• Published in: Revista latino-americana de enfermagem Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 73 - 80
• Main Authors: Paiva, Elenir Pereira de, Motta, Maria Catarina Salvador da, Griep, Rosane Harter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto / Universidade de São Paulo 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; NURSING; Prostatic Neoplasms - diagnosis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Prostatic Neoplasms; Neoplasias de la Próstata; Neoplasias da Próstata; Religión; Men's Health; Religião; Religion; Salud del Hombre; Saúde do Homem
• ISSN: 0104-1169; 1518-8345; 1518-8345; 0104-1169
• DOI: 10.1590/S0104-11692011000100011

With the aim of describing barriers to screening for prostate cancer, a domicile survey was carried out covering 160 men of a Family Health Strategy (FHS) area. Slightly over half had undergone the examination. Regarding beliefs related to the disease, 95% of the men believed there is a cure if detected early, 29.4% mentioned the possibility of a normal life while ill, 56.3% believed it may be asymptomatic, 36.1% agreed/disagreed that the treatment is worse than the disease and 34.4% agreed that the examination affects masculinity and that if you are well it is not necessary to perform it. Regarding barriers, 15% reported that the physician had never requested it, 10.9% did not consider it important and 16.9% were afraid to take the examination. While not the sole determinant, the dissemination of adequate knowledge regarding the examination can constitute a key strategy for the formation of a positive attitude in relation to early detection.