Testicular Self-Examination in an Adult Community Sample

Abstract

The study investigated the impact of relationship status on participants' knowledge of testicular cancer and their current and planned testicular self-examination (TSE) behavior. Adult male civil servants (N = 188) were recruited in the northwest of the United Kingdom (mean age = 33.37 years, SD = 10.77). The survey instrument asked about current and intended TSE practice, knowledge of testicular cancer, as well as attitudes and beliefs toward testicular cancer and self-examination. Factor analysis identified five factors equating to the benefits of TSE, fear, perceived risk, knowledge, and fatality. In logistic regression models, the benefits of TSE, fear, and knowledge significantly predict current TSE behaviors, whereas the benefits of TSE and perceived risk predicted future TSE intentions. Models predicting TSE practice differed according to relationship status. The findings suggest that strategies designed to promote TSE should be sensitive to individual differences in the influences on a person's motivation to engage in TSE.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Technicians Working at Hospitals Towards Testicular Cancer and Self-examination of Testicles in Turkey

“…The request to get information by the majority in both groups may also be explained by their fear of TC, by thought of TC as a very serious disease and by thought of high success of its treatment when early diagnosed. While the feeling of being afraid of getting cancer diagnosis may be a triggering factor, it may cause reluctance and avoidance behaviours in individuals if this fear reaches critical levels (Brewer et al, 2011). In the present study, level of knowledge about TC and TSE of men in both groups, doing TSE and doing it with recommended time and frequency were found to be low.…”

Perceptions of Testicular Cancer and Testicular Self-Examination Among College Men

“…Despite the recent upsurge of TSE promotional campaigns (see Brewer, Roy, & Watters, 2010;Lechner, Oenema, & De Nooijer, 2002;Nasrallah, Nair, Congeni, Bennett, & & McMahon, 2000;Rudberg, Nilsson, Wikblad, & Carlsson, 2005), there is a lack of reported long-term TSE performance among men. Fittingly, the American Cancer Society (2008) does not recommend TSE due to lack of evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing mortality rates among males.…”

“…As such, this study responds to the challenge by Daley (2007) and Brewer et al (2010) to further explore tailored messaging to promote TSE, specifically among a college cohort, and Robertson, Douglas, Ludbrook, Reid, and van Teijlingen (2008) recommendation that larger scale, more comprehensive studies are needed to effectively test predictor variables of TSE in promotional campaigns.…”

“…However, more testing is necessary with the model to conclusively state such a claim. Brewer et al (2010) suggest that researchers should use tailored message designs in their promotional efforts where TC information is tailored to the individual rather than reporting basic facts to a generalized audience. If researchers can tap into the resources of tailoring messages to individual group attitudes and other predictive behavioral variables, and then test them within a formal theoretical context, such as the theory of planned behavior, TC awareness-raising and informed decision-making interventions could be more explanatory and, thus, more successful.…”

“…Daley (2007) indicates "there is no literature on the manner in which college students would like to be educated on testicular cancer" (p. 174). Brewer et al (2010) suggest that strategies designed to promote TSE should be sensitive to individual differences in the influences on a person's motivation to engage in TSE. This study reports on predictors of what may create those differences.…”