Factors influencing prostate cancer healthcare practices in Barbados, West Indies.
Although some investigations have assessed the barriers to prostate cancer screening among African-American men, limited data are available regarding such practices in similar African-origin populations. Key informant interviews were employed to obtain a range of perspectives pertaining to the healthcare practices of African-Barbadian men and to identify factors that obstruct prostate cancer screening in Barbados, West Indies. Gender-related perceptions were identified as a major obstruction to prostate cancer screening. Additionally, concerns about privacy, taking time away from work and mistrust of the medical community were reported as themes impeding the healthcare-seeking behaviors of African-Barbadian men. System-level barriers included limitations in access to care and ineffective dissemination of health information. Findings from this study suggest that targeted efforts aimed at modifying socio-cultural perceptions may assist in improving prostate cancer screening and general healthcare-seeking practices of African-Barbadian men and others who share similar beliefs.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8036, USA.
Patricia
P
Ng
Elinor R
ER
Schoenfeld
Anselm
A
Hennis
Suh-Yuh
SY
Wu
M Cristina
MC
Leske
Barbara
B
Nemesure
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001460:Barbados; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D036301:Qualitative Research