Forecasting changes in preference over the life span: a qualitative study of African-American men's prostate cancer decision making.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to explore the processes by which African-American men, at greatest risk, might forecast and manage health changes as they age if they were diagnosed with prostate cancer.


METHODS
Twenty-nine African-American men, 40-70 years old, with no history of prostate cancer, participated in four focus groups and four follow-up individual interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using Grounded Theory, with thematic analysis and constant comparison of data.


RESULTS
There was a curvilinear relationship between age and participants' preference for quality versus quantity of life in deciding to treat prostate cancer. Two mechanisms accounted for this: a change with age in the (1) reference point for judging value and (2) decision-making goal.


CONCLUSIONS
With increasing long-term survivorship, it is vital to understand the multiple decisions cancer patients will face as they continue to age. The current study is an initial step in studying how patients might anticipate and manage such changes.
Goldberg
Julie H
JH
Department of Medical Education, M/C 591, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 South Wood Street, 986 CME, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA. julieg@uic.edu
Schwartz
Alan
A
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003625:Data Collection; D003657:Decision Making; D017144:Focus Groups; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D014481:United States