Effects of Community Strategy-Based Educational Intervention on Prostate Cancer Knowledge and Screening Practices among Men in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70619/vol6iss9pp1-13957Keywords:
Community Health Promoters, Prostate Cancer Knowledge, ScreeningAbstract
Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. Early diagnosis improves treatment outcomes. Late diagnosis is linked to poor knowledge of the disease among men, especially in developing countries, and is sometimes compounded by limited access to diagnostic facilities. This study assessed the effects of community-based prostate cancer education on knowledge and screening practices among adult males from rural areas of Eastern Kenya. This study used a pretest–posttest non-equivalent quasi-experimental design. Two independent groups were involved: an intervention group that received prostate cancer education and a control group that received no intervention. The study used multi-stage sampling, resulting in 382 participants (188 in the intervention group and 194 in the control group). Most participants in both groups were under 60 years old (54.8% in the intervention group and 63.4% in the control group). After the intervention, prostate cancer awareness increased significantly in the intervention group (p=0.001), whereas it did not change significantly in the control group (p=0.448). Knowledge of prostate cancer also improved significantly post-intervention in the intervention group (P=< 0.001), but not in the control group (P=0.456). Similar changes were noted in testing practices, with the screening rate changing marginally in the control group from 4.1% at baseline to 5.2% post-intervention, while in the intervention group the screening rate increased from 4.8% at baseline to 11.3% post-intervention. In conclusion, community strategy-based prostate cancer education improved prostate cancer knowledge and screening practices among men in Tharaka-Nithi County, Eastern Kenya. Strengthening community education based on established programs like community strategy is necessary, as it is an effective way of improving PCa knowledge and changing people’s screening behaviour.
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