Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Fit for WorkCancerHealth surveillanceReturn to work and rehabilitationSickness absence management

GPs often ‘a barrier’ stopping black men being tested for prostate cancer

by Nic Paton 27 Sep 2024
by Nic Paton 27 Sep 2024 A PSA test for prostate cancer. A survey has found black men often feel their GP acts as a barrier to getting tested
Image: Shutterstock
A PSA test for prostate cancer. A survey has found black men often feel their GP acts as a barrier to getting tested
Image: Shutterstock

Nearly a third (32%) of black men have not had a prostate cancer test because their GP either refused to test them or said it was not necessary, a survey has found.

The study of 2,000 black men by Prostate Cancer Research found that 69% of those polled had either not had or not requested a prostate cancer test (PSA) from their GP in the past year.

When asked why not, for many it was because they experienced “barriers” at their GP, it concluded. A total of 22% said it was because their GP had said having a test was unnecessary. This is despite black men having twice the risk of developing the disease than the overall adult male population.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer cases set to double worldwide by 2040

How to support employees with prostate cancer

Fear and ignorance stopping men getting checked for prostate cancer

A further 10% said their GP had refused to give them a test. A similar percentage (11%) said they were forced to cancel because they could not get the time off work.

In all, almost one in four who requested a PSA test over the past year had not been able to get one, Prostate Cancer Research said.

More positively however, as many as 80% said they would get screened if there was a national screening programme for black men. A similarly high percentage, 82%, said they would be willing in principle to get tested.

A quarter (25%) said they believed racial discrimination had stopped them or a loved one from being routinely screened.

Less than one in three members of the black community were aware that black men are at double the risk from this form of cancer, the survey also found.

However, nearly two-thirds (64%) said they would be comfortable discussing the condition. On the flip side, not knowing enough about it or what to say often prevented this potentially lifesaving conversation from happening.

Oliver Kemp, chief executive of Prostate Cancer Research, said: “It is vital we raise awareness not only among the community but also among healthcare professionals and policymakers.

“We are calling on GPs to be mindful of black men’s greater risk when considering PSA testing, and on government to introduce screening for men in high-risk groups.”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

 

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Tribunal claim over ‘dubious’ birthday leave fails
next post
UK jobs market at its tightest for three years

You may also like

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Tool developed for employers to calculate cost of...

28 Apr 2025

Why employers must do more to support all...

24 Apr 2025

NHS to expand GP scheme enabling greater access...

16 Apr 2025

Computer says no: IT woes giving employees sleepless...

15 Apr 2025

Access to Work backlogs and delays costing businesses...

14 Apr 2025

Nearly half did not take even one full...

14 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today