Abstract
Background In 2018, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended that PSA screening for prostate cancer involve men aged 55–69, based on a personal decision following consultation with a health professional. PSA screening in men aged 70 or older should only occur if symptoms exist. This study identifies the association between having a PSA test in the past two years and whether or not there was consultation with a health professional about the benefits and/or harms of PSA screening. Methods Analyses were based on data involving men aged 40 years or older, who responded to PSA related questions in the 2018 BRFSS survey. Results Approximately 32.0% (14.6% for ages 40–54, 41.7% for ages 55–69, and 49.8% for ages 70 years and older) of respondents had a PSA test in the past two years. Approximately 81.7% of these men had talked with a health professional about the benefits and/or harms of PSA screening, with 42.4% having discussed the benefits and harms, 54.6% having discussed the benefits only, and 3.0% having discussed the harms only. The odds of a PSA test in the past two years in men having talked with a health professional about the benefits and harms of the test versus no talk are 10.1 (95% CI 9.3–10.8), in men who talked with a health professional about the benefits only versus no talk are 10.8 (95% CI 10.0–11.6), and in men who talked with a health professional about the harms only versus no talk are 3.9 (95% CI 2.9–5.1). Conclusion PSA screening is most common in men aged 70 or older, which is counter to the US Preventive Task Force recommendation. Most men having a PSA test have talked with a health professional about the test, but the talks tended to focus on just the benefits of screening and not both potential benefits and harms.
Highlights
Prostate cancer is the most common nonskin cancer among men in the United States
Having a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test because of a family history of prostate cancer is more common in American Indians/Alaskan Natives
The United States (US) Preventive Services Task Force general guidelines recommend that men begin PSA screening at age 55 and stop at age 70, unless symptoms are present, a large proportion of men in the age range 40–54 and 70 and older undergo PSA screening
Summary
Prostate cancer is the most common nonskin cancer among men in the United States. In 2021, it accounted for an estimated 25.6% (248,530) of all cancer cases in males and 10.7% (34,130) of all cancer deaths in males [1]. ere are over 3.2 million men currently alive in this country with a previous diagnosis of the disease [2]. e average lifetime risk of prostate cancer is 11.7% (1 in 8.5) for whites and 16.7% (1 in 6) for blacks, based on 2016–2018 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data [3]. E average lifetime risk of prostate cancer is 11.7% (1 in 8.5) for whites and 16.7% (1 in 6) for blacks, based on 2016–2018 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data [3]. In 2018, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended that PSA screening for prostate cancer involve men aged 55–69, based on a personal decision following consultation with a health professional. Is study identifies the association between having a PSA test in the past two years and whether or not there was consultation with a health professional about the benefits and/or harms of PSA screening. Most men having a PSA test have talked with a health professional about the test, but the talks tended to focus on just the benefits of screening and not both potential benefits and harms
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
