Prostate-specific antigen screening among young men in the United States.
BACKGROUND
Disagreement exists on the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests for cancer-risk stratification in young men in the United States. Little is known about the use of PSA testing in these men. To understand policy implications of risk stratification, the authors sought to characterize PSA use among young men.


METHODS
The authors used the 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to study prostate-cancer screening in a representative sample of men aged 40 years and older (n = 58,511). The primary outcome was self-report of a PSA test in the previous year.


RESULTS
Among men aged 40 to 49 years, 22.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.5-23.5) reported having had a PSA test in the previous year, compared with 53.7% (95% CI, 52.8-54.7; P < .001) of men aged >or=50 years. When sociodemographic characteristics were statistically controlled, young, black, non-Hispanic men were more likely than young, white, non-Hispanic men to report having had a PSA test in the previous year (odds ratio [OR], 2.42; 95% CI, 1.95-3.01; P < .001). In young men, annual household income >or=USD 35,000 (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.26-1.78; P < .001) and an ongoing relationship with a physician (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 2.06-3.07; P < .001) were associated with PSA testing.


CONCLUSIONS
One-fifth of young men reported having had a PSA test within the previous year. Young, black, non-Hispanic men are more likely than young, white, non-Hispanic men to report having had a PSA test, although screening in this high-risk group remains suboptimal.
Scales
Charles D
CD
Duke Prostate Center, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
Antonelli
Jodi
J
Curtis
Lesley H
LH
Schulman
Kevin A
KA
Moul
Judd W
JW
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen