Kerry L. Kilbridge|George A. Fraser|Murray Krahn|Elizabeth M. Nelson|Mark Conaway|Randall Bashore|Andrew M. D. Wolf|Michael J. Barry|Debra A. Gong|Robert F. Nease|Alfred F. Connors
Lack of Comprehension of Common Prostate Cancer Terms in an Underserved Population
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of Toronto|MetroHealth Medical Center
assess comprehension common medical terms used prostate cancer patient education materials obtain informed consent measure outcomes prostate cancer treatment address issue among underserved africanamerican men increased cancer incidence mortality observed populationwe reviewed patient education materials prostatespecific qualityoflife instruments identify technical terms describing sexual urinary bowel function understanding terms assessed facetoface interviews 105 mostly africanamerican men age 40 two lowincome clinics comprehension evaluated using semiqualitative methods coded two independent investigators demographics collected literacy measuredfewer 50 patients understood terms erection impotent 5 patients understood term incontinence 25 understood term bowel habits patients recognized word roots related terms compound words eg rectum v rectal urgency intercourse v vaginal intercourse comprehension terms domains statistically significantly correlated reading level p 001 median literacy level fourth sixth grade prostate cancer knowledge poor many patients difficulty locating key anatomic structureslimited comprehension prostate cancer terms low literacy create barriers obtaining informed consent treatment measuring prostate cancer outcomes accurately study population addition level prostate cancer knowledge poor results highlight need prostate cancer education efforts outcomes measurements consider literacy use nonmedical language