Determinants of Prostate Cancer Screening in Korean Men: A Nationwide Study Using the Korean National Cancer Screening Survey 2023

• Published in: Cancer research and treatment Vol. 57; no. 2; pp. 539 - 546
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Giap Viet, Lee, Kyeongmin, Lee, Hyeon Ji, Kang, EunKyo, Suh, Mina, Jun, Jae Kwan, Choi, Kui Son
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Cancer Association 01.04.2025; 대한암학회
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Early Detection of Cancer - methods; Early Detection of Cancer - psychology; Early Detection of Cancer - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Male; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Motivation; Original; Prostatic Neoplasms - diagnosis; Prostatic Neoplasms - epidemiology; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; 의학일반; Republic of Korea; Screening; Prostate-specific antigen; Prostatic neoplasms
• ISSN: 1598-2998; 2005-9256; 2005-9256
• DOI: 10.4143/crt.2024.879

Purpose Research on the prevalence of prostate cancer (PCa) screening and reasons for undergoing screening is limited. We aimed to identify the factors influencing PCa screening behavior and explore the underlying motivations among Korean men.Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study used data from the 2023 Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, which employs a nationally representative random sampling method. This study included 1,784 men aged 40-74 years. The respondents reported their experiences with PCa screening. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the factors associated with participation in PCa screening.Results The lifetime PCa screening rate was 18.6%. Among screening modalities, transrectal ultrasonography was the most frequently used (31.9%), followed by prostate-specific antigen tests (25.6%) and digital rectal examinations (21.5%). The multivariable analysis identified several factors that significantly increased the likelihood of screening participation, including older age, living with a spouse, poor self-reported health, and abstinence from alcohol consumption in the previous 12 months. Men who had undergone colorectal cancer screening were more likely to participate in PCa screening (adjusted odds ratio, 4.01; 95% confidence interval, 2.03 to 7.93) than those who had not. The primary motivations for screening were recommendations from family or social networks (31.9%) and inclusion in health examination packages (24.3%), whereas healthcare provider recommendations (18%) and symptomatic concerns (5.7%) were the least influential.Conclusion Our findings highlight the importance of providing evidence-based information for PCa screening recommendations and the need for improved communication and implementation of a shared decision-making approach for PCa screening in Korea.