Abstract

Eyad M. Alhelih, Danny M. Rabah and Mostafa A. Arafa

This exploratory study examined factors and decisional balance (DB) that influence participation in prostate cancer (PCa) screening in Saudi Arabia. The secondary purpose of the study is to develop the groundwork for future interventions to support at-risk men, to develop the health habit of getting a yearly prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination (DRE). The sample consisted of 500 Saudi men who resided in Riyadh area. Men completed two surveys and demographic data was also collected. The selected factors are demographic (age, race, marital status), structural (insurance coverage) and behavioral (screening history). No significant relationships were found for the factors and outcome for PSA, or DRE intent to screen. Further analysis utilizing Point Biserial Correlations for DB, factors and intent to screen with the PSA shows a result of a significant negative association between race and DB. A significant positive association was found for DB and having insurance and for DB and having had a previous PSA. For DB, factors and DRE intent resulted in a significant positive association with having insurance coverage and having had a previous DRE screening.In terms of research implications, Saudi health care providers should focus on the recruitment of men, in prostate cancer awareness and screening. Other roles in research is the development of reliable and valid assessment survey questions to measure patient knowledge, attitudes and cultural beliefs that can identify variations in individuals' decision making processes and benefits/risk perception.Implications for the clinical setting include PCa educational interventions as well as continuing to establish relationships outside of the clinical setting to coordinate community health efforts to provide men with resources to obtain culturally relevant information on the latest PCa developments.