This study evaluates the efficacy of a tailored telephone intervention to promote informed decision making about prostate cancer testing among predominantly immigrant black men.
African American and African-Caribbean men have the greatest prostate cancer incidence and mortality rate. Professional organizations provide conflicting recommendations regarding prostate cancer testing but generally agree that men learn about the risks and benefits of testing and share in decisions about testing based on their personal preferences. This study was designed to assess the effects of a decision support intervention on men's knowledge about prostate cancer testing, participation in medical decisions about testing, decision conflict related to testing, and the congruence between prostate cancer testing intentions and behaviors. A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were randomized into one of two conditions: (a) tailored telephone education about prostate cancer testing (intervention group) or (b) tailored telephone education about national guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption (attention control group).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SCREENING
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
490
tailored telephone education on prostate cancer testing
tailored telephone education about fruit and vegetable consumption
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
congruence between prostate cancer testing intention and behavior
Congruence between men's stated intentions to get tested and their actual testing behavior, validated by medical claims at 1 and 2 year follow-up. Intention-behavior agreement was coded as congruent (1), whereas disagreement was coded as incongruent (0).
Time frame: 1 and 2 years post randomization
Knowledge about prostate cancer and prostate cancer tests
12 item knowledge index with questions on testing, risk factors and epidemiology, and treatment effectiveness and side effects. Percent correct was used as the outcome measure.
Time frame: baseline and 8 months post randomization
Decisional conflict
Used a modified version of the 16 item Decisional Conflict Scale with the 3 level response category suggested for low literacy populations.
Time frame: 8 months post randomization
Verified doctor visit to discuss prostate cancer testing
Visit with physician to talk about prostate cancer testing, with visit verified through medical claims records
Time frame: 2 years post randomization
State anxiety
Used a 7 item subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Time frame: baseline and 8 months post-randomization
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