PhD in Nursing Science Program

Use of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Assess Prostate Cancer Screening Intent Among African American Men

Dissertation under the direction of Professor Rolanda Johnson

Prostate cancer incidence and mortality represents a disparity among African American men when compared to other populations. This study involved the examination of sociocultural variables and prostate cancer screening intent of African American men using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The constructs of the theory assessed in this study included attitudes, social norms, situational barriers, and prostate cancer knowledge, and other contributory factors associated with prostate cancer screening intent.

Convenience sampling was used to recruit African American men (N=69) from multiple faith-based sites in Nashville, Tennessee. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the overall contribution of all the independent variables to the self-report of intent to screen, as well as the unique contributory information of each variable. Possible associations of each of the demographic, screening and family history variables, as well as perceived risk of prostate cancer with screening intent was conducted using bivariate tests. Overall, the constructs of attitude, subjective norms, situational barriers, and prostate cancer knowledge did not demonstrate a statistically significant (Multiple R = .475, R2 = .226, Adjusted R2 = .108, p = .067) association with prostate cancer screening intentions. However, social influence was the strongest unique contributor to prostate cancer screening intent. Perceived benefits of screening had a statistically significant correlation ( r = .285, p = .018) with prostate cancer screening.  Social influence was found to be statistically significantly associated with intent to screen ( r = .337, p = .005). The cost of prostate cancer screening had a statistically significant correlation ( r = -.278, p = .021) with prostate cancer screening intent. The results of this study suggest that social and cultural factors may influence prostate cancer screening behaviors among African American men.