title: Nonmedical information seeking amid conflicting health information: negative and positive effects on prostate cancer screening.
abstract: This study investigates the impact of seeking information about the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test on men's PSA test use during a period of conflicting recommendations. Analyses used longitudinal survey data collected in 2005 and 2006 from a nationally representative sample of U.S. males aged 40-70 years (n = 777). Cross-sectionally, nonmedical information seeking was significantly associated with increased odds of having a PSA test in the past year (Time 1 odds ratio [OR] = 9.74, p < .01, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.37, 21.70; Time 2 OR = 5.78, p < .01, 95% CI = 3.17, 10.55). However, lagged analyses showed that among men who had a PSA at Time 1, active seeking is associated with reduced odds of later having a PSA test (OR = 0.33, p < .05, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.85). Participants who had not had a PSA test in the past year very rarely sought information about PSA tests. Information acquisition in an environment of conflicting recommendations may influence adoption of cancer screening behaviors.
authors.affiliation: a Annenberg School for Communication , University of Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.affiliation: a Annenberg School for Communication , University of Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Andy S L
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: a Annenberg School for Communication , University of Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Freres
authors.affiliation: b Department of Communication , University of Haifa.
authors.forename: Nehama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: c Department of Communication , Michigan State University.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: a Annenberg School for Communication , University of Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hornik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen