title: Psychosocial stress and social support are associated with prostate-specific antigen levels in men: results from a community screening program.
abstract: Perceived stress and satisfaction with social support were assessed in 318 men participating in a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening program. We predicted that high stress would be associated with high PSA and high social support with low PSA. We also predicted a Stress x Support interaction (buffering). Hypothesized main effects were confirmed and were not explained by recency of previous rectal examinations or current urinary symptoms. There was no evidence of buffering. Stress and social support were not associated with results of digital rectal examinations. These findings raise the possibility that psychosocial factors promote prostate disease through direct physiologic pathways. However, it is also possible that the data reflect effects of stress on health-related behaviors or that stress scores were affected by participants' anticipation of prostate problems on the basis of prior PSA tests or symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Stony Brook 11794-8790, USA.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Mezzacappa
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Donatone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011469:Prostatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen