Prostate Cancer Screening

The incidence of cancer is higher in Black Americans, both men and women, than non-Hispanic Whites. Men are more likely to have lung, pancreatic and stomach cancer. They are more likely to die from prostate cancer. Black African American women are 36% more likely to die from breast cancer.

Prostate cancer being a huge cause of mortality and medical expense in men age forty and above has only recently become a topic of general conversation to men in America (Plowden, 2009). African-American men are affected by prostate cancer at a disproportional level than all other men. They are diagnosed up to 65% more frequently and the mortality rate is twice that of Caucasian counterparts (Emerson, 2009). The African-American male is also less likely to take advantage of free prostate cancer screening (Oliver, 2007).

In the case for PSA screening, PCa is the leading internal malignancy in US men and the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Early detection of prostate cancers offers the best chance of cure. The PSA blood test is the best chance of cure. Currently, the PSA blood test is the best currently available way to detect PCa and it is easy, safe and inexpensive. PSA test results is a piece of information, it is what doctors do with the information that becomes the issue. However, the great majority of PSA detected tumors have the histologic characteristics of clinically important cancers. Also, PSA detection has found tumors early advancing the diagnosis by Seeral years (5-13) and prostate cancer mortality rates in U.S have decreased by 4% (patho book) since 1992, which is 5 years after initiation of prostate screenings. The dilemma is over treating the clinically unimportant disease versus under

Although survival rates of breast cancer are improving, it is occurring at a slower rate for minorities (O’Keefe et al., 2015). Recommendations on when to begin mammography screenings vary slightly with greatest consensus for women with average risk to begin annual screening at 40-years-old. Fewer minority women adhere to mammography guidelines than white women and an even greater gap exists for those above and below the poverty line (Kerans, 2004). Based on evidence from a systematic review of 88 studies, the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends multicomponent interventions for breast cancer screening for the greatest impact on underserved

The United States is a melting pot of cultural diversity. For a country that was founded by individuals fleeing persecution, it has taken us many years to grant African-Americans equal rights, and even longer for those rights to be recognized. Despite all the effort to eliminate inequality in this country, health disparity among this minority group remains a significant issue. Research in this area has pointed to several key reasons for this gap that center on differences in culture, socioeconomics, and lack of health literacy.

Declining cancer incidence and mortality rates in the United States have continued through the first decade of the twenty-first century. However, Black Americans continue to have the higher cancer mortality rates and shorter survival times. This review discusses and compares only breast and prostate cancer mortality rates and mortality trends for Blacks and Whites. The complex relationship between socioeconomic status and race and its contribution to racial cancer disparities is discussed.

Early detection, screening and prevention, often times is not provided by mainstream America to support programs that benefit all American’s. Often Minority groups are sometimes five years after preventative screening before tests are available to

Despite vast advancements in healthcare African-American men lack appropriate necessities when it comes to health care. Continuous efforts to bridge the gap among African American men with prostate cancer still remains high in the United States. Evidence shows how disproportionate this ethnic population leads in both incidence and mortality rate concerning social determinants of health, as well as health disparities. Major key factors that contribute to this health disparity among African Americans men are low socioeconomic status (SES) and being medically offered inadequate services. According to Richardson et al. (2004), "Prostate cancer (PCa) is most common and the second leading cause of cancer death among American men." However, prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates are higher in African-American men, as compared to other race. One of the main barriers hindering the care of this ethnic population is the lack of knowledge. As an Advanced Nurse Practitioners, it is crucial to identify areas in SDoH and health disparities that affect African American men health. False perceptions, misunderstanding and improper information must be replaced with factual information, and communicated accurately (Richardson et al. 2004).

Currently, the local church for which this DNP project is being developed lacks a FCN who can provide healthcare services to the church senior’s citizen center, located in the southeast region of the United States (US). According to the director of the church senior’s citizen center, there is an urgent need for FCN. FCN in this case, can play an integral role by linking faith and health (Van Dover & Pfeiffer, 2011). For example, the ANA and HMA (2012) acknowledged that FCNs promote, and optimize health and abilities, aid in the prevention of injury and illness, and help parishioners in suffering. FCN in this context can enhance better health practices and values of a faith community at the church senior’s citizen center.

The North Carolina-Based Breast Cancer Screening Program (NC-BCSP) was questioning if they could increase African-American women’s access to breast cancer screening, would this help women determine their risk factors and seek further screening process? The goal was to decrease the obstructions of the women in North Carolina to everyday health care, but at the same time increase women’s access to breast cancer screening, while making connections that could help women across the state. The evaluated outcomes was to implement an education process so that there was a tracking system that would determine if the participants were at the human health center and clinic for their initial visit or a repeat visitor.

A biological influence on this health disparity is a genetic predisposition seen in African American men. Several studies have shown a chromosome that is more common in African American men that increases the risk of prostate cancer. The chromosome is 8q24 variants, which is the most commonly seen, as well as, BCL2 and EphB2 linking to a higher incidence of prostate cancer (Modlin, 2012). The genetic predisposition has also been proven to cause prostate cancer to be a more aggressive disease in African Americans, likely leading to the higher mortality rates. The behavioral influence of being less likely to get screened and the biological influence of a genetic predisposition interact to influence the health disparity.

African Americans carry an uneven share of the cancer load in the United States, having the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial or ethnic group for most cancers. In this article, I will provide updated data for African Americans on cancer rate, death, survival, and cancer screening. I also estimate the total number of deaths prevented among African Americans as a result of the decline in cancer death rates since the early 1990s.

According to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 1.2 million individuals in the United States have HIV (about 14 percent of which are unaware of their infection and another 1.1 million have progressed to AIDS. Over the past decade, the number of HIV cases in the US has increased, however, the annual number of cases remains stable at about 50, 000 new cases per year. Within these estimates, certain groups tend to carry the burden of these disease, particularly the gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) and among race/ethnic groups, Blacks/African American males remain disproportionately affected. (CDC)

Nature and scope of the project: Despite the advances in medical technology, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and is the second cause of mortality in African-American and Caucasian women in the United States. Mammography has shown to be one of the best method to reduce late detection of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends monthly self-breast examination (SBE), clinical breast examination every three years and mammography starting at age of 40. Despite the recommendations, there is a disparity among different racial groups. The breast cancer screening rates are higher in certain subgroups, including low-income African-Americans and Hispanic

The paper Prostate Cancer Screening is written as an analysis of the controversy on the use of screening for prostate cancer. The paper itself is written between doctors Elie Mulhem, Nikolaus Fulbright, and Norah Duncan. The analysis, while likely directed to those in the medical field, is tailored to be easily understood by laypeople. While the paper itself is a somewhat brief, surface level analysis of the situation, it does support the notion that prostate cancer screening through methods like prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and digital-rectal examinations (DRE) have questionable effectiveness. The intention of the paper appears to persuade doctors and the public to the viewpoint that prostate