Randomised trial to assess the impact of a leaflet on the decision to go for prostate cancer screening being fully informed consent
Anna Cargill and Sharon Love with Eila Watson, Paul Hewitson, Joan Austoker, Joanne Brett, Alison Clements, Colleen Bukach, Rhodri Evans, Glyn Elwyn, Adrian Edwards, Patricia Wright, Theresa Marteau (Oxford, Wales, London)There is much uncertainty surrounding the question of whether prostate cancer screening should be routinely given, mainly due to the limitations in the accuracy of the testing procedure. The method of screening currently used in asymptomatic men to detect the presence of prostate cancer is known as the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). Little evidence exists that the benefits of such a test outweigh the risks and it has been suggested by many that the patient should be involved in the decision making process. This investigation focuses on the impact of knowledge of the screening limitations on the patients’ intention to be PSA tested.

A randomised controlled trial of 1000 men has been conducted whereby the intervention group were sent a leaflet containing all the evidence surrounding the effectiveness of PSA testing, the control group were sent none. A questionnaire was completed by the participants in the leaflet and the non-leaflet groups to assess levels of knowledge, attitudes and the intention to be PSA tested. The data has been collected and the analysis is on going.