Exploring the complexities of prostate cancer screening with a view to supporting informed consent.
Men request to be screened for prostate cancer because they believe they are exhibiting responsible health promotion behaviour and there are definite benefits from the early detection of the disease. This belief about the benefits is in contrast to several national guidelines recommending that screening for prostate cancer not be done. Despite the guidelines men continue to request to be screened and doctors continue to supply screening tests to asymptomatic males. The lack of an appropriate screening test has been a key factor in supporting recommendations not to screen. However, recent studies show improved accuracy in the use of serum prostate specific antigens (PSA) as a screening tool. This implies that a revision of the guidelines might soon be appropriate. It is important that nurses and other health professionals are kept abreast of developments in prostate screening to assist men with their screening options to ensure their fully informed consent.
Laws
Tom A
TA
School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen