Determinants of Prostate Cancer Screening Intentions of Young Black Men Aged 18 to 40 Years

Introduction: Black men are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, with higher stage and higher grade at presentation. Evidence suggests that for education in health promotion behaviors (such as screenings) in early adult years, young Black men can be better equipped to make informed decisions in later years.

Objective: Using the theory of reasoned action (TRA), we assessed the intention of young Black men to screen for prostate cancer when it is recommended and determined its correlates.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 267 Black men aged 18 to 40 years. A 47-item questionnaire collected information on demographics/personal factors, attitudes toward prostate cancer screening, social influence, comfortability with prostate examinations, cues to action, health screening experiences, knowledge of prostate cancer and screening, and intention. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables and hierarchical logistic regression was employed to determine significant predictors of prostate cancer screening intentions.

Results: The regression model accounted for 46% of the variance in intention (p < 0.01), with excellent perception of health, having private or public health insurance, longer regular source of care, positive attitude, positive social influence, positive cues to action, and higher knowledge levels being significant predictors of intentions.

Conclusion: This study provides support for the use of TRA in predicting prostate cancer screening intentions among young Black men when it is recommended by a physician. Findings may inform the development of empirical-based interventions to educate and inform at-risk young Black men about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening so that they can make informed decision on screening when recommended later in life.