FACTORS THAT RESTRICT MALE ADHESION TO PROSTATIC CANCER PREVENTIVE EXAMINATION IN A MUNICIPALITY OF THE MICROREGION OF THE PARROT NOZZLE

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common visceral malignancy in men and a significant cause of male morbidity and mortality, being Brazil among the countries with the highest prevalence of the disease. This neoplasia, most of the time is related to the epidemiological profile of men, the frequency of risk factors and the degree of implementation of effective actions of human health. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the perception of men met in the Assistance to Health Reference Center (CRAS) of Augustinopolis – TO on the factors that hinder the adhesion of men to screening test for prostate cancer. This comprises an exploratory-descriptive research and deductive with a quantitative approach. Data collection was performed using semi-structured questionnaire filling, containing 17 questions, applied directly to 61 individuals during visits to CRAS. The results showed that the majority of respondents were aged over 60 years and were black or mulatto (73.8%). A high level of the participants were illiterate or had not completed primary education (86.9%), with the majority (90.33%) having a family income of up to one minimum wage. With regard to prostate cancer, 63.9% did not know what prostate cancer is or know of its importance to human health. Still, the vast majority (90.16%) did not know what is PSA, or its usefulness. High number of respondents (60%) reported that the reason for lack of adherence to screening test for prostate cancer was the lack of knowledge about the disease and its way of prevention. It follows, therefore, that the socioeconomic and cultural factors, especially those related to education and people’s living level of studied sample are, in general, the factors responsible for the lack of adherence to screening test for prostate cancer. Thus, it is essential to implement a greater number of government policies and educational campaigns to disseminate in a more comprehensive way, especially for the poorest people, the fundamental importance of having a preventive screening test for this pathology. Moreover, have to get closer of professionals in primary health care with men, as lacking attention beings, care, and health education and especially of greater accessibility to health services.