Our study investigates the trends in prostate cancer screening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly focusing on racial disparities between Black and White men. Utilizing data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 2018, 2020, and 2022, we analyzed prostate-specific antigen screening rates in men aged 45-75 years. Our findings reveal initial declines in screening rates for both groups during the pandemic, with subsequent recovery; however, the pace of rebound differed statistically significantly between races. Whereas White men showed a notable increase in screening rates postpandemic, Black men's rates recovered more slowly. This disparity underscores the impact of socioeconomic factors, health-care access, and possibly systemic biases affecting health-care delivery. Our study highlights the need for targeted interventions to address these inequalities and ensure equitable access to prostate cancer preventive care in the aftermath of COVID-19.
JNCI cancer spectrum. 2024 Feb 29 [Epub]
Zhiyu Qian, Jameshisa Alexander, Danesha Daniels, Firas Abdollah, Alexander P Cole, Hari S Iyer, Quoc-Dien Trinh
Department of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA., Vattikuti Urology Institute Center for Outcomes Research, Analytics and Evaluation, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA., Section of Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.