1. The Health Seeking Behaviors of Young African American Males and Their Thoughts About Prostate Cancer
Veronica A. Clarke-Tasker, Ph.D., RN, MBA, MPH, Professor Howard University College of Pharmacy, Nursing & Allied Health Sciences Research Funded by Agency for Health Care Research & Quality

2. Incidence and Mortality Year 2009
An estimated 27,130 (34%) African American men will be diagnosed this year with prostate cancer
Approximately 3,690 (12%) men will die from this disease; that is
Approximately 10 deaths per day

3. PURPOSE
The purpose of this study, which is on going, is to explore young African American males health seeking behaviors and their thoughts about prostate cancer.

4. METHODOLOGY
Two focus groups were conducted with nineteen African American men with a mean age of 35 years in a local community.

5. RECRUITMENT OF SUBJECTS
Subjects who met the study criteria were advised of the purpose of the study and asked to participate by the researchers

6. METHODOLOGY Informed Consent was obtained
Subjects completed a draft of a prostate cancer survey for use with young African American men
Focus groups were facilitated by the
co-investigators

7. SELECT DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTS OF THE POPULATION

8. MARTIAL STATUS Majority of the young men were single
living on their own

9. Level of Education Vocational/training after HS
and/or had completed college

10. INSURANCE COVERAGE
The majority of the men did not have health insurance

11. Their Definition of health
Watching what you eat
Exercise
Mind, body, spirit are complete
Knowing your health status
Avoiding fatty foods
Not hardly every being seek

12. Their Definition of illness
Not being healthy
Your body is not operating correctly
“not coordinated”
Your immune system is being attacked
Stress
Depression
Stomach hurts

13. The Question….
How often should you have a Complete Physical Examination and how long should it take?

14. Components of a physical exam
“I have one every year, blood pressure, jumping jacks, weight, height, based on your height what you should weight. Basically that took about minutes!”

15. The “serious” physical exam
“I had a serious physical in 25 – 30 minutes!”

16. The physical examination!
“The last physical examination I had was when I was playing football…checked to see if you had any hernia.. hold testicles and ask you to cough, listen to your lung capacity, listen to your heart while taking deep breaths, lasted about 30 minutes.”

17. Prostate cancer risk
70% of the men in this study did not believe they would develop prostate cancer some time in the future

18. SCREENING
Felt physicians did not screen or suggest that they be screened for prostate cancer

19. Questions about past family history, prostate or any other cancers
Doctor did not talk with me
Doctor did not ask me any questions
Done of the men in my family talk to me either …not even my old man

20. THEIR THOUGHTS
“men do not want anyone to know that they are having problems below the belly button.”

21. Attitudes toward MD and DRE
“most patients are looking for doctors that give them respect.”
“this is just an off limits area”

22. Attitudes toward MD and DRE
“it’s not an old or young thing..it just has to do with being a man.”
“it’s taboo,,
It’s associated with homosexuality”

23. Choices
“More males are starting to go to females, they feel more comfortable.”
“I do it because I rather have them check for the cancer..I just want to get it over with.”

24. Results – knowledge deficit
Did not know their family health history
Men did not know the location of the prostate

25. Results – knowledge deficit
Number of fingers used to perform a digital rectal examination –
YOUR WHOLE HAND!
Symptoms to report to their health care provider

26. PROSTATE CANCER KNOWLEDGE
Younger men had little or no knowledge of prostate cancer and its prevalence within the African American population
Did not know the current recommended guideline for prostate cancer screening
Did not know and or fully understand methods used for prostate cancer screening

27. PROSTATE CANCER KNOWLEDGE
Considered having a digital rectal examination embarrassing as well as uncomfortable
Were not opposed to having a DRE once they understood the purpose

28. Feelings about having a DRE
“If you never been and had that exam or been given the information like what you’re giving and somebody makes jokes about it, it scares you. “

29. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE
As nurses we need to educate this high-risk population about prostate cancer and prostate cancer screening methods
Anatomically correct models for teaching DRE should be used to aid in alleviating some of the myths associated with the procedure

30. Questions
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your questions