Differences in Treatment-Based Beliefs and Coping Between African American and White Men with Prostate Cancer

The purpose of the study was to explore racial differences related to treatment-based beliefs (trust in physician, physician bias, access to care, and self-efficacy) and coping (religious coping and social support). The study was conducted in a 33-county area located in southwest Georgia (SWGA). Men living in SWGA and newly diagnosed with prostate cancer were invited to participate in the study. Men were also required to be 75 years of age or younger at the beginning of the study and free of dementia. In collaboration with the Georgia Cancer Registry, potentially eligible participants were identified through pathology reports. Participants completed three interviews during a 12-month period post-diagnosis. The 320 participants in this analysis ranged in age from 44 to 75 years with a mean age of 63 years, and 42% were African American. After controlling for confounders, African American participants were more likely to report physician bias, financial problems with access to care, and use of religious coping strategies. These results, based on a largely rural patient population, support those of other studies noting differences in perception of care, access to care, and coping strategies between African American and white men with prostate cancer.