Lifetime and Recent Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Screening of Men for Prostate Cancer in Canada

Overview

Journal Can J Public Health

Publisher Springer Nature

Specialty Public Health

Date 2006 Jul 11

PMID 16827400

Citations 21

Authors

Jennifer A Beaulac

Richard N Fry

Jay Onysko

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: In spite of national guidelines which do not recommend prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer or are inconclusive, Canadian men may be accessing the screening test.

Methods: For the purpose of informing prostate screening policy, cross-sectional self-reported data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (2000-2001) were analyzed to determine the lifetime and recent PSA screening prevalence of Canadian men aged 50 and older with no prostate cancer, and to explore the socio-demographic characteristics associated with ever being screened. Multivariate binomial regression analyses were used to calculate prevalence rate ratios as a measure of association between respondents' characteristics and PSA screening behaviour.

Results: Almost half of Canadian men over the age of 50 years (47.5%; 95% CI=46.4-48.5) reported receiving PSA screening during their lifetime. Seventy-two percent (71.8%) of PSA screening was performed within one year prior to the survey or recently. Lifetime prevalence was highest among men aged 60-69 (53.1%; 95% CI=51.1-55.1). Next to advanced age, having a family doctor was the most predictive of screening behaviour (PRR=1.83, p<0.01). Black ethnicity, a risk factor for prostate cancer, failed to be predictive of screening (PRR=1.04, NS). Not speaking French or English was strongly associated with not obtaining a PSA screen (PRR=0.66, p< or =0.01).

Interpretation: Our finding that Canadian men commonly reported PSA screening for prostate cancer is not congruent with national guidelines. While we wait for randomized controlled trial evidence of the effectiveness of PSA screening in reducing mortality due to prostate cancer, PSA screening has emerged as a public health issue.

Citing Articles

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Watson L Can Oncol Nurs J. 2020; 30(2):133-140.

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Changes in the uptake of screening for prostate cancer with prostate-specific antigen in Ontario between 2003 to 2012.

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Yung J, Li J, Jordan H, Cone J Prev Med Rep. 2018; 11:81-88.

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