This exploratory study is designed to identify user knowledge of prostate cancer prevention, in a sample consisting of 100 users with arterial hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus being treated at a healthcare facility in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil. Collected through interviews, the data were organized into categories and analyzed on the basis of user experiences and selected literature. Most (68%) of the users were born in rural areas, with 53 (77.9%) of them from the State Capital; some 53% earned one to three minimum wages; with most (52%) having merely started their basic education; 65% knew nothing about prostate cancer prevention. Among the latter, nine (13.8%) had taken the prevention examination and 35 had been advised about it, with twelve (34.2%) having undergone the preventive procedure. Failure to opt for this examination was related to a lack of knowledge, prejudice and the absence of symptoms. However, this may also be due to gaps in user healthcare education, medical practitioners whose attentions are focused on other problems such as hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus, and poor access to healthcare services.
Primary prevention; Prostate neoplasms; Health education; Hypertension; Diabetes mellitus
