RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 ‘It's a maybe test’: men's experiences of prostate specific antigen testing in primary care
JF British Journal of General Practice
JO Br J Gen Pract
FD British Journal of General Practice
SP 303
OP 310
VO 57
IS 537
A1 Rhodri Evans
A1 Adrian GK Edwards
A1 Glyn Elwyn
A1 Eila Watson
A1 Richard Grol
A1 Jo Brett
A1 Joan Austoker
YR 2007
UL http://bjgp.org/content/57/537/303.abstract
AB Background Prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing in primary care is an important and contentious issue. Due to concerns about the test and the value of early detection, countries such as the UK advocate ‘informed choice’ instead of population screening. It is not known whether this policy is actually adhered to in primary care. Furthermore, little is known of the experiences of men who face this decision.Aim To explore the experiences, understanding, and views of men who considered or undertook PSA testing in UK primary care.Design of study Qualitative interview-based study.Setting Primary care, Wales, UK.Method Semi-structured one-to-one interviews were conducted with 28 men, representing a range of clinical outcomes. Transcripts were coded and subjected to thematic analysis.Results Three themes were identified: the decision-making context, the locus of decision making, and uncertainty related to the PSA test.Conclusion The decision to undertake PSA testing was affected by both social and media factors and it did not appear to be a patient-led decision. The decision created considerable uncertainty for men and this uncertainty persisted after the test, even if the result was normal. Raised PSA led to further investigations and this exacerbated the uncertainty. Anxiety and regret were consequences of this uncertainty.