Background and Objective

It is believed that the differentials in the chances of surviving cancer diagnoses may be due to barriers that limit access to timely, appropriate, and high-quality medical care. Understanding the motivation for early cancer detection behaviour among Black males may begin to diminish the prevalence of having an imminent and aggressive cancer diagnosis among this gendered population. To add to this understanding, this study examined perceptions, beliefs, and engagement in early detection cancer behaviour in a sample of Black males 23–63 years of age.

Materials and Methods

Participants (N=312) responded to survey items assessing knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions of cancer, early cancer detection behaviour, illness attitude, masculinity, attachment style, and demographic characteristics via a Qualtrics link published on Amazon MTurk. Using hierarchical regression models, associations were estimated between demographic variables, social (illness attitude, identity), behavioural (masculinity, attachment) variables, and early cancer detection behaviour.

Results

Data showed age (β = -.28, p<.01), education (β = -.180, p<.01), illness attitude (β = .24, p<.01), masculinity (β = -.22, p<.01), and avoidant (β = .31, p<.01) and anxious (β = -.14, p<.01) attachment being associated with early cancer detection behaviour among Black males.

Conclusion

Understanding the motivation for early cancer detection behaviours may begin to address the use of mechanisms, by which to ensure a timely diagnosis, of preventable cancers, among this adult population. Our findings should be useful for researchers seeking to understand why people resist beneficial health information, and for practitioners who aim to create interventions that may reduce such resistance.