Information on pros and cons of prostate-specific antigen testing to men prior to blood draw: A study from the National Prostate Cancer Register (NPCR) of Sweden

Figures & data

Table I. Questionnaire used in this study with the ratio of reported answers.

	2006	2007	2008	Total
What was the reason for your first PSA test?	n = 538 (%)	n = 534 (%)	n = 537 (%)	n = 1609 (%)
I had voiding symptoms	64 (11.9)	71 (13.3)	75 (14.0)	210 (13.1)
I had other symptoms from the urine or genital organs	18 (3.3)	15 (2.8)	18 (3.4)	51 (3.2)
I was worried about having prostate cancer	95 (17.7)	94 (17.6)	104 (19.4)	293 (18.2)
I was worried about having prostate cancer as I have relatives diagnosed with prostate cancer	94 (17.5)	79 (14.8)	102 (19.0)	275 (17.1)
My wife/girlfriend/partner urged me	87 (16.2)	76 (14.2)	74 (13.8)	237 (14.7)
My doctor recommended that I should have the PSA test	131 (24.3)	162 (30.3)	152 (28.3)	445 (27.7)
Discussion and media “you should check your PSA”	113 (21.0)	122 (22.8)	119 (22.2)	354 (22.0)
I had sought medical care for something else	59 (11.0)	62 (11.6)	63 (11.7)	184 (11.4)
I had a regular health examination	252 (46.8)	234 (43.8)	267 (49.7)	753 (46.8)
What information did you receive before the PSA test?	n = 521 (%)	n = 520 (%)	n = 522 (%)	n = 1563 (%)
Oral information on the pros and cons of PSA testing	253 (48.6)	263 (50.6)	247 (47.3)	763 (48.8)
Oral and written information on the pros and cons of PSA testing	51 (9.8)	55 (10.6)	73 (14.0)	179 (11.5)
Written information on the pros and cons of PSA testing	10 (1.9)	17 (3.3)	12 (2.3)	39 (2.5)
No information on the pros and cons of PSA testing	144 (27.6)	144 (27.7)	135 (25.9)	423 (27.1)
No information that the PSA test had been done	63 (12.1)	41 (7.9)	55 (10.5)	159 (10.2)
Did the information on the pros and cons of PSA testing influence your decision on having the test?	n = 520 (%)	n = 520 (%)	n = 526 (%)	n = 1566 (%)
No	267 (51.3)	306 (58.8)	281 (53.4)	854 (54.5)
Yes	94 (18.1)	82 (15.8)	92 (17.5)	268 (17.1)
No information on the pros and cons of PSA testing	158 (30.4)	132 (25.4)	152 (28.9)	442 (28.2)
How did you receive information on the result from the PSA test?	n = 539 (%)	n = 531 (%)	n = 533 (%)	n = 1603 (%)
At an appointment with my physician	329 (61.0)	342 (64.4)	342 (64.2)	1013 (63.2)
With a telephone call	97 (18.0)	95 (17.9)	98 (18.4)	290 (18.1)
By a letter	107 (19.9)	84 (15.8)	90 (16.9)	281 (17.5)
I was not informed on the PSA value	6 (1.1)	10 (1.9)	3 (0.6)	19 (1.2)

PSA = prostate-specific antigen.

Figure 1. Ratio of men receiving information on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test (oral, oral and written, or written information) and those not receiving information or not aware of PSA testing, stratified by calendar time.

Figure 2. Ratio of men receiving information on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing in the six different healthcare regions.