Evaluation of a Culturally Targeted, Personalized Mail-Home Brochure Directed to Partners of at-Risk Men to Facilitate Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment

Abstract

Abstract : The primary aim of this two-arm prospective randomized controlled trial (N=232) was to evaluate the efficacy of a theory-based printed brochure intervention, directed to the partners of African American men, in promoting informed decision making about PSA screening for prostate cancer. Intervention participants received the intervention brochure and a control brochure; control participants received only the latter. Both brochures included information concerning prostate cancer, the heightened risk of African American for the disease, and prostate cancer screening. The intervention brochure also contained content designed to motivate and facilitate the partner's efforts in promoting informed decision making by the proband about PSA screening. The primary outcome variable was the proband's engagement in informed decision making about PSA screening, as reported by the partner. Secondary outcome variables included the extent of the partner's efforts to promote informed decision making about PSA screening, and the nature and utility of partner/proband communication about prostate cancer risk and screening. Secondary study aims included investigating the moderating role of attentional style (high vs low monitoring) with respect to the intervention's impact on the primary outcome variable, as well as the mediating role of cognitive-affective factors, partner-proband communication, and process variables.