Project Summary
Prostate cancer (PC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. African Americans have the highest incidence and mortality of PC among all racial groups in the United States. Similar to the national trends, Detroit exhibits a striking racial disparity as African-American men have 1.6 times higher PC incidence and >2 times higher mortality compared with White men. Although the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test can detect PC early, PSA screening in healthy men is highly controversial because it may cause more harm than benefit. In addition, frequent changes and inconsistent practice guidelines from different professional agencies add to the confusion of PSA screening even among physicians. As a result, most expert groups recommend patient–physician shared decision making (SDM) for PSA screening. However, there are few studies that have involved both clinicians and patients in the SDM in prostate cancer screening.
Tier 1 funding supported the development of a partnership that includes primary care patients, prostate cancer survivors, family members, community advocates, clinicians, and researchers with a common interest in working together to improve SDM for PSA screening focused on Detroit’s African-American community. The main goal for the Tier II project is to continue work with our community partners and further develop a fundable research question that compares interventions to help men and their families make an informed decision on PSA screening. The proposed project will focus on strengthening relationships and infrastructure, building research capacity, and expanding our national reach by engaging national stakeholders to support our project.