Helping Men Decide About Scheduling a Prostate Cancer Screening Exam

This paper reports on the application of decision counseling based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to assist men in deciding whether or not to schedule a prostate cancer screening exam. The study is based on data that we collected from 129 men enrolled in the intervention arm of two randomized, controlled trials. First, we administered a baseline survey to gather data on participant sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions about prostate cancer and screening. Subsequently, a health educator conducted a session with each man to review an informational booklet on prostate cancer screening. Then, the health educator used an AHP-based decision process that identified the most important factors (both pro or con) that might influence prostate cancer screening preferences, clarified preferences related to scheduling a prostate screening exam, and elicited a scheduling decision. We performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify variables associated with the decision. Of the 129 men enrolled, 85 men (66 percent) decided to schedule a prostate cancer screening exam. Multivariable analyses showed that preference strengths and favorable perceptions of prostate cancer screening predicted the decision to screen.