Screening by the prostate-specific antigen test: what do the patients know?
BACKGROUND
Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men, and prostate cancer screening is recommended for all men over the age of 50. The use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for cancer screening is controversial.


METHODS
At two different Veterans Administration facilities, outpatients completed a 15-item questionnaire about their knowledge of the PSA test two weeks after receiving a screening test.


RESULTS
Demographic characteristics of the patients are described and examined in relation to the results of the PSA-test-knowledge questions. Over 50% of men had not heard of the PSA test and were unaware of receiving the test. Higher education level was the only predictor of PSA-test knowledge.


CONCLUSIONS
Either patients forget information about the PSA test or providers do not tell patients they are being screened for cancer. Further research and interventions are needed to improve patient knowledge and understanding about this prostate cancer screening test.
Diefenbach
P N
PN
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine, USA.
Ganz
P A
PA
Pawlow
A J
AJ
Guthrie
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen