title: Predictors for the symptomatic prostate cancer patient's delays in seeking care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to determine the predictors for the symptomatic prostate cancer patient's delays in seeking care.
  
  
  METHODS
  We followed a cohort of 931 men with prostate cancer from Stockholm County (Sweden) asking about socio-demographic and information-level characteristics as well as the length of delay in seeking care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 511 patients who returned a completed questionnaire, 219 (43%) reported having clinical symptoms before prostate cancer was diagnosed. Of all men with clinical symptoms, self-employed men were more likely to make an early first contact with the health-care system than pensioners or men with other employment (relative risk (RR), 3.9; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-11.0). Men who had obtained moderate or much information from the internet about prostate cancer were more likely to have made an early first contact with the health-care system (RR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.9). Men who had obtained moderate or much information from health-care staff (RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-1.6), or from any doctor (RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-1.8) or from family members/acquaintances (RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.9) had an early first visit to the health-care system. Men who were 70 to 80 years old started treatment earlier than men who were 50 to 69 years old (RR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4-3.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patients' level of information about prostate cancer obtained from the internet and other sources such as the health-care system, doctors or family members/acquaintances coupled with their employment status were influential in leading to early first contact and first visit to the health-care system. Older patients started treatment earlier than younger patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lizzy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sunny
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hopfgarten
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adolfsson
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steineck
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors