Abstract

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death among Black men, and widespread lack of screening contributes to the mortality burden. The purpose of this present study was to evaluate the effect of relationship intimacy with individual intent to screen using the digital rectal examination (DRE) among Black men. The human ecological theory of human development was a good fit for this present study, as individual health status and population health disparities are embedded in larger historical, geographic, socio-cultural, economic, and political contexts. The ecological framework allows researchers to attempt to identify the influences of all these factors.

This study used secondary data collected through Project CHANGE (Changing Health for Adult Men with New and Great Experiences) based on a convenience sample of 470 English-speaking, Black (African American and Immigrant Black) men 21 years and older recruited from California and New York. Hierarchical ordinary least squares regression was used for data analysis. The main objective of the present study was to gain a better understanding of how intimacy and contextual factors influence prostate cancer screening intention among Black men. Intimacy predicted prostate cancer screening intention, suggesting that greater levels of relationship intimacy were associated with greater intention to screen for prostate cancer. Compared to African American men, Immigrant Black men were more likely to report an intention to screen for prostate cancer when they reported experiencing a strong sense of intimacy in close relationships. Implications for theory, research and practice were noted. The findings of this study make a contribution to the understanding of prostate cancer screening intention among African American and Immigrant Black men.

Keywords: African American men, Immigrant Black men, Prostate Cancer, Families, Family Life Education, Intimacy, Relationships

LLU Discipline

Family Studies

Department

Counseling and Family Sciences

School

School of Behavioral Health

First Advisor

Fox, Curtis A.

Second Advisor

Distelberg, Brian

Third Advisor

Montgomery, Susanne

Fourth Advisor

Oloo, Winetta

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2015

Date (Title Page)

9-2015

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

African Continental Ancestry Group; African Americans; Prostatic Neoplasms; Early Diagnosis; Sociological Factors

Subject - Local

Prostate Cancer; African American Men; Immigrant Black Men; Families; Family Life Education; Relationships

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

125

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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