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Benjamin A Spencer

Publications and source records attributed to Benjamin A Spencer.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A population-based survey of prostate-specific antigen testing among California men at higher risk for prostate carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Despite the lack of evidence demonstrating a survival benefit from prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, its use has become widespread, organizations have encouraged physicians to discuss early detection of prostate carcinoma, and two higher risk groups have been recognized. In the current study, the authors examined whether African-American men and men who had a family history of prostate carcinoma underwent PSA testing preferentially, and patterns of test use were examined according to age, race, and other factors. METHODS: Data regarding self-reported PSA test use in the past year among men age 50 years and older without a history of prostate carcinoma (n = 8713 men) were analyzed from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey. RESULTS: The overall rate of PSA use was 43.0%. Older age, higher socioeconomic status, having a usual source of healthcare, and a family history of prostate carcinoma were the strongest predictors of testing. Higher risk African-American men age 50 years and older were no more likely to be tested than white men. Men at higher risk who had a family history of prostate carcinoma were more likely to have been tested than men who had no such family history. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of PSA use among higher risk men who had a family history of prostate carcinoma were higher compared with the rates among men without such a family history. However, PSA testing rates among higher risk African-American men were no different than the rates among lower risk white men, suggesting that some risk factors for prostate carcinoma (but not others) are associated with preferential testing. Testing in all groups was associated with access to care variables, highlighting the importance of removing barriers to preventive healthcare services.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2006

Is there a language divide in pap test use?

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether primary language use, measured by language of interview, is associated with disparities in cervical cancer screening. DATA SOURCES: We undertook a secondary data analysis of a pooled sample of the 2001 and 2003 California Health Interview Surveys. The surveys were conducted in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Vietnamese. STUDY DESIGN: The study was a cross-sectional analysis of 3-year Pap test use among women ages 18 to 64, with no reported cervical cancer diagnosis or hysterectomy (n = 38,931). In addition to language of interview, other factors studied included race/ethnicity, marital status, income, educational attainment, years lived in the United States, insurance status, usual source of care, smoking status, area of residence, and self-rated health status. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS: We fit weighted multivariate logit models predicting 3-year Pap test use as a function of language of interview, adjusting for the effects of specified covariates. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Compared with the referent English interview group, women who interviewed in Spanish were 1.65 times more likely to receive a Pap test in the past 3 years. In contrast, we observed a significantly reduced risk of screening among women who interviewed in Vietnamese (odds ratio [OR] 0.67; confidence interval [CI] 0.48-0.93), Cantonese (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.30-0.66), Mandarin (OR 0.48; 95% CI 0.33-0.72), and Korean (OR 0.62; 0.40-0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Improved language access could reduce cancer screening disparities, especially in the Asian immigrant community.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

A population-based study of colorectal cancer test use: results from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey.

BACKGROUND: Recent research has supported the use of colorectal cancer (CRC) tests to reduce disease incidence, morbidity, and mortality. A new health survey has provided an opportunity to examine the use of these tests in California's ethnically diverse population. The authors used the 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS 2001) to evaluate 1) rates of CRC test use, 2) predictors of the receipt of tests, and 3) reasons for nonuse of CRC tests. METHODS: The CHIS 2001 is a random-digit dial telephone survey that was conducted in California. Responses were analyzed from 22,343 adults age >/= 50 years. CRC test use was defined as receipt of a fecal occult blood test in the past year and/or receipt of an endoscopic examination in the past 5 years. RESULTS: Nearly 54% of California adults reported receipt of a recent CRC test. Insurance coverage and having a usual source of care were the most important predictors of CRC testing. Latinos age < 65 years were less likely to be tested than whites (relative risk [RR], 0.84; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.77-0.92). Men were more likely to be tested than women, an effect that was greater among individuals age 50-64 years (RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.23-1.32) than among individuals age >/= 65 years (RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.15-1.23). Women were more likely than men to say that their physician did not inform them the test was needed and that CRC tests were painful or embarrassing. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the current study indicate a need for physicians to recommend CRC testing to their patients. Assuring that all individuals have both health insurance and a usual source of care would help address gaps in the receipt of CRC tests.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Geographic variation across veterans affairs medical centers in the treatment of early stage prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: We investigated geographic variation in the treatment of early stage prostate cancer in a national sample of veterans after widespread adoption of the prostate specific antigen test. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our sample consisted of 16,352 cases from the Veterans Affairs Central Cancer Registry that were diagnosed between January 1997 and December 1999 with stage I or II prostate cancer. We used a 2-stage nested logit model to compare surgery, radiation therapy and noncurative treatment among 4 geographic regions of the United States. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that patients in the West (referent group) had a higher OR of undergoing surgery than radiation compared with the Northeast, South or Midwest (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.87, OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.98 and OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.87, respectively. Black men, men with lower grade and higher stage tumors, and unmarried men were less likely to undergo curative treatment and less likely to undergo surgery than radiation. CONCLUSIONS: Geographic variation persists in patterns of care in men with early stage prostate cancer. However, this variation is limited to the choice between surgery and radiation rather than to the choice between curative and noncurative treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Quality-of-care indicators for early-stage prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: Decisions regarding treatment for early-stage prostate cancer are frustrated not only by inadequate evidence favoring one treatment modality but also by the absence of data comparing quality among providers. In fact, the choice of provider may be as important as the choice of treatment. We undertook this study to develop an infrastructure to evaluate variations in quality of care for men with early-stage prostate cancer. METHODS: We enlisted several sources to develop a list of proposed quality-of-care indicators and covariates. After an extensive structured literature review and a series of focus groups with patients and their spouses, we conducted structured interviews with national academic leaders in prostate cancer treatment. We then convened an expert panel using the RAND consensus method to discuss and rate the validity and feasibility of the proposed quality indicators and covariates. RESULTS: The panel endorsed 49 quality-of-care indicators and 14 covariates, which make up our final list of candidate measures. Several domains of quality are represented in the selected indicators, including patient volume, pretreatment referrals, preoperative testing, interpretation of pathology specimens, and 10-year disease-free survival. Covariates include measures of case-mix, such as patient age and comorbidity. CONCLUSION: This study establishes a foundation on which to build quality-of-care assessment tools to evaluate the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer. The next step is to field-test the indicators for feasibility, reliability, validity, and clinical utility in a population-based sample. This work will begin to inform medical decision-making for patients and their physicians.

Adenocarcinoma↗