Screening for Prostate Cancer with the Prostate-Specific Antigen Test--United States, 2006. Statistical Brief 233

摘要

Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among men, and one of the leading causes of cancer death among men in the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. However, many more men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer than will eventually die from it. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test along with a digital rectal exam (DRE) to help detect prostate cancer in men age 50 and older. Currently there is no consensus on the appropriate use of the PSA test for early detection of prostate cancer. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against screening for men age 75 and older. Furthermore the USPSTF suggests that men younger than 75 discuss the benefits and harms of the PSA test with their clinicians prior to testing. Health insurance coverage is associated with access to medical care. Studies have suggested that health insurance coverage is associated with the receipt of timely preventive care. This Statistical Brief examines data from the 2006 Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS-HC) on screening for prostate cancer with the PSA for men ages 50 to 74, by health insurance coverage status. All differences between estimates discussed in the text are statistically significant at the 0.05 level.