Prostate cancer: how aware is the public?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the public awareness of prostate cancer and willingness to seek medical attention for urinary symptoms, and to determine associated factors.


METHODS
A community survey was conducted using a questionnaire administered by the interviewer to 280 randomly selected Irish men aged 40-69 years.


RESULTS
A quarter of the men had not heard of prostate cancer; factors associated with having heard were nonmanual social class, living with a female partner and a history of treatment for urinary disease. Eighty per cent said they would be willing to attend a GP if they had urinary symptoms; associated factors were living with a female partner, having heard of prostate cancer and having seen a GP more than once in the preceding year. Just over half deemed attendance to be urgent/important; associated factors were having heard of prostate cancer, living with a female partner and having a relative with cancer. Having a General Medical Services card (a means-tested medical card entitling the holder to free medical services) was negatively associated. Lower social class was negatively associated with routine questioning by a GP about urinary symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a marked social-class gradient in knowledge and willingness to seek medical advice. In the absence of population screening, earlier clinical presentation with prostate cancer is essential if prognosis is to be improved; there is an evident need to improve prostate cancer awareness, particularly in the lower social classes, if this goal is to be achieved.
Department of Public Health Medicine & Epidemiology, University College Dublin, Ireland.
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Fitzpatrick
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Corcoran
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JM
Fitzpatrick
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001364:Awareness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012923:Social Class; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy