Evaluating Two Approaches to Informed Decision-Making for Prostate Cancer Screening Among African American Men

University of California at Berkeley: Center for Family and Community Health

University of Colorado: Rocky Mountain Prevention Research Center

Topics:
Cancer

African American men have a higher rate of prostate cancer than any other U.S. racial or ethnic group. Two interventions to enhance decision-making about prostate cancer screening are being studied. Researchers in Colorado are developing a CD-ROM that gives users facts about prostate cancer, screening, and treatment. The program helps users evaluate how their decisions about screening may affect their lives. The CD-ROM is being used by 1,800 Colorado health maintenance organization members and 3,000 community members and may be distributed to insurance companies, health departments, and health care providers.

A telephone counseling program is being evaluated in northern California among 300 African American men, 45 years of age and older, who have relatives or friends with prostate cancer. Counselors are gathering information about participants’ self-care, family history of prostate cancer, risk awareness, reasons for or against screening, health status, and socioeconomic characteristics, and the effect of telephone counseling on their decision-making for screening. If the protocol is effective, researchers will distribute it for use in cancer information and health care provider telephone lines.

 

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