“So, it’s um it’s an individual thing. Some people are more private…about it. And now there’s because you are talking about um, um when you start talking about manhood um…you, men get callisthenic about it.” Mr. Hunter, a pseudo name for a survivor.
Prostate cancer forms 41.2% of all prostatic diseases in Ghanaian male population according studies conducted. Prostate cancer cases increase as man grows older in the Ghanaian population and it is the most killer disease among male population in Ghana. It is late detected among Ghanaian population due to lack of voluntary screening.
Approximately, 16% of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer within their lifetime (Siegal, Naishadham & Jemal, 2012). The prostate is a small, squishy gland about the size of a ping-ball, located deep inside the groin, between the base of the penis and the rectum. It is important for reproduction, because it supplies the seminal fluid, which mixes with sperm from the tastes. Seminal fluid helps the sperm to travel and survive. The prostate is not essential for life, but it is important for reproduction. The prostate typically grows during adolescence, under the control of the male hormone testosterone and its byproduct dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Testosterone is primarily, produced in the testes but a smaller amount is produced in the adrenal glands above the kidneys.The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system and it is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum.
The formation of prostate cancer leads to growth of androgens. Nonetheless, the strength of the treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer is to reduce a man’s androgen levels with “hormone therapy”.
Studies have shown that, men have significantly lower level of awareness of the specific risks to their health as compared with women and again men have low level of awareness of health risks, and are resistant to seeking help for serious medical problems. It is also noted that men seem less able to recognize physical and emotional distress, are less likely to seek help and are more likely than women to dismiss physical changes or problematic symptoms are.
Historically, there has not been a strategic response either to the health problems facing men globally or in the overwhelming majority of countries. An analysis of the policies and programs of 11 major global health institutions, including World Health Organzation, found that they did not address the health needs of men (Hawkes, & Buse, 2013). The exact cause of prostate cancer is scientifically unknown; however, African-American men are more likely to be, diagnosed. Is it plausible to make an inference that, Africans also stand a higher risk of developing prostate cancer?
The Western diet, in addition to being rich in calories and saturated fat, may lack certain specific nutrients. Particular attention given to those that may have antioxidant properties, under the hypothesis that excessive oxidative damage nucleic acid is likely to lead to carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Epidemiologic and laboratory investigations indicate that diet may constitute an important set of environment factors affecting development and progression of prostate cancer. Sixteen of 22 studies, found a positive association of meat intake with prostate cancer risk, with 15 showing odds ratios or relative risks of 1.3 or more. However, plant foods including whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruits, appear to be protective. Research findings have reported an inverse association of specific or total vegetable intake with prostate cancer risk, whereas eight reported no association. The strongest protective effects were for beans and legumes, nuts, carrots, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (cabbage family), and tomatoes. Cruciferous vegetables emerged in two population-based studies to be associated with a reduction in prostate cancer incidence.
The influence of masculinity and gender relations on men’s experience of prostate cancer is also complex but affords an integral context for understanding men’s diets following prostate cancer. Effective nutrition interventions for men with prostate cancer is important to consider as food choice is, shaped by gender (Mroz, Chapman, Oliffe, & Bottorff, 2011).
Masculinity identity is considered as the sense of coherence in one’s identity as derived from valued male norms, which may include self-reliance and potency, competitiveness, control, capacity to be a provider, and restraint from showing dependence or vulnerability (Zaider, Manne, Nelson, Mulhall, & Kissane, 2012).
The benefits of any screening test ought to be, balanced against the potential harms that result from testing or treatment. In the case of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing, the risks of performing the assay itself are trivial; the aftermath consequences that deserve scrutiny. Because of the relatively low specificity of PSA testing, a large number of men who undergo trans-rectal ultrasound and prostate biopsy do not have evidence of prostate cancer. The test itself is uncomfortable, but it has become tolerable with the application of local anesthetic. The primary risks of the procedure are infection and bleeding, which fortunately occur in only 1-4% of cases.
Globally, initial treatment costs of prostate cancer (i.e. within the first year after diagnosis) represent the largest part of the overall prostate cancer burden in health budgets. This could be a compelling ground for uncertainty to set in before the array of already-glaring challenges. One must have enough self-composure and mental fortitude in order to manage these uncertainties.
Uncertainty is a central feature of the experience of acute and chronic illness. If an illness, and its treatments are complex (e.g., if symptoms can be explained by multiple underlying causes or if the safety and efficacy of treatments are unproven) or if illness trajectory or prognosis are unpredictable, uncertainty is inherent. Uncertainty exists when details of situations are ambiguous, complex, unpredictable, or probabilistic; when information is unavailable or inconsistent; and when people feel insecure in their own state of knowledge or the state of knowledge in general (Babrow, Hines, & Kasch, 2000). To this end, there is the need to manage one’s uncertainty in the bid to bring the situation under control. Uncertainty Management follows from appraisals and emotional responses; it encompasses managing uncertainty that is challenging, managing uncertainty that is essential for maintaining hope, learning to live with chronic uncertainty, and managing information problems (Brashers, Neidig, Haas, et al., 2000). Understanding various types of uncertainty enhances our ability to describe and explain its influences on behavior and to develop strategies for improving people’s lives.
Suggestion
Several studies have shown that, most people who have fallen victims to this phenomenon are/were 50 years and above. There is also evidence of hereditary elements, which presupposes that, once a father has suffered from prostate cancer, there is the likelihood for his sons to experience it in their lifetime. Now, here is the deal, it is a healthy advice to have an early PSA testing ones you hit 50 years for early detection and treatment. Finding your PSA score gives an early warning or otherwise of the steps to take and it is the ultimate means of saving those “baseballs” and enjoy the rest of your years in soundness.
Samuel Mensah Noi
Graduate Student in Communication Studies (Health Communication)
Arkansas State University, United States of America
samuel.noi@smail.astate.edu or nosamens@gmail.com
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