UTILIZATION OF DIGITAL MEDIA FOR INFORMATION SEEKING ON PROSTRATE HEALTH CONDITION AMONG MEN

1.1 Introduction

Prostate cancer is one of the most common and lethal cancers in the world. The incidence of prostate cancer has been increasing in recent years. Beliefs and awareness towards prostate cancer screening among men is very crucial for early detection and management of the condition. Prostate cancer is a malignancy occurring in any part of the prostate gland especially in the periphery. It is the most common form of cancer in old men after hepatocellular carcinoma in Africa (Parkin et al., 2003), but in the united states and northern western Europe, it is the most common cancer and the second common cause of cancer deaths in Africa. Global disease burden as reported by WHO in 2004, seem to demonstrate that prostate cancer is becoming an emerging epidemic in Nigeria and a number of other countries of the world.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

In Nigeria, all men are at risk of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is very rare in men younger than 40years but chances of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50 years (American cancer society, 2012). In Nigeria, prostate cancer is the most common male cancer and maybe as high as that seen in African Americans in the United State (Globocan, 2008), as cited in American cancer society (2011). Access to health care and prostate screening methods for early detection is limited (Odedina, 2009). High rate of mortality has been revealed to be due to late detection (Woods et al., 2004).

Screening is the common method for early detection of all cancers in populations that are asymptomatic. The major problem with early detection in prostate cancer prevention is lack of knowledge about screening and poor detection guidelines among medical professional groups (Woods et al., 2004). Beliefs and awareness towards prostate cancer screening among men is very crucial for early detection and management of the condition. Among black men, lack of discussions about decision to screening and lack of cultural communication with health care providers has created fear and distrust. It has also increased the likelihood of men not participating in prostate cancer screening (Woods et al., 2004).

According to Woods et al. (2004), past negative experience, lack of adequate health insurance, lack of knowledge, traditional attitudes about male gender roles, fear of prognosis, distrust in medical community, physicians attitude, cultural and religious belief and attitudes also contribute to non-participation in prostate cancer screening (Woods et al., 2004). It was discovered by researchers that sexual dysfunction is a sensitive issue for black men; therefore it discourages them from participation in prostate cancer screening and early detection strategies (Woods et al., 2004). The debate for and against screening for prostate cancer is still on. It is stated that if screening will be of great benefit in quality of life improvement, men should commence screening if at family risk of prostate cancer and also should be based on decision in men within the age range 55-64 years (American Urology Association, 2013).

A goal of healthy people 2020 is to eliminate racial health disparities and reduce prostate cancer death rate among male adults. To achieve this goal, innovative measures must be applied to overcome the perceived barriers that hinder early screening practices for prostate cancers, create mechanisms to partake, support and reinforce men to make healthy choices. For screening to be effective in Africa, especially in Nigeria, it is necessary to have an idea of healthy knowledge, beliefs and positive attitudes towards screening of this disease among men of age 18-35

Today’s healthcare systems are characterized by short stays in hospital with planned discharge within one, two, or three days even after large operations. This decreases the time and opportunity for contact between the patients and the healthcare professionals. As contacts are situations or conditions where persons are able to exchange information, attitudes, feelings and so on (Ordbogen, 2011), these short contacts reduce the patients’ time for information and support. Patient satisfaction surveys show that the patients are satisfied with short hospital stays (Marx et al., 2006; Husted et al., 2006; Kehlet, 2001).

Therefore, in Niger State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to assess the Utilization of Digital Media for Information Seeking on Prostrate Health Condition among Men in Minna Metropolis.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that the research problem is the increased rate of prostate cancer due to poor knowledge and negative attitudes of men towards prostate screening in Nigeria. Based on the topic of this paper-knowledge, belief and attitude of men towards prostate cancer screening and the increasing rate of this disease, the paper aims at assessing the knowledge, belief and attitudes of men towards prostate cancer in Nigeria.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to examine the Utilization of Digital Media for Information Seeking on Prostrate Health Condition among Men in Minna Metropolis. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To determine the benefits of early screening and detection of prostate cancer among men using digital media for information seeking;
2. To examine the attitude of men towards prostate cancer during digital media utilization in Nigeria;
3. To investigate the causes and risk factor of prostate cancer among men in the area under study; and
4. To examine the factors inhibiting the use of digital media for providing prostrate health condition information among men in the area under study.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Are factors inhibiting the use of digital media for providing prostrate health condition information among men in the area under study?
• What is the attitude of men towards prostate cancer during digital media utilization in Nigeria?
• What are the causes and risk factor of prostate cancer among men in the area under study?
• What are the benefits of early screening and detection of prostate cancer among men using digital media for information seeking?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no significant factors militating against the use of digital media for providing prostrate health condition information among men in the area under study
• H1: There is a significant factors militating against the use of digital media for providing prostrate health condition information among men in the area under study

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1.7 Significance of Study

The relevance of the study will provide information about the benefit of early diagnoses of prostate cancer among men. The perceived benefits are the person’s belief that performing a specific behaviour will reduce the threat of that condition. Obtaining a prostate cancer screening will increase the chances of identifying prostate cancer at a very early stage, thus reducing the mortality rate.

The likelihood that a person will take preventive measures result from the person’s perception of the benefits and barriers of taking action such as change of lifestyle, increase search for medical care, therapies and medical advice.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Utilization of Digital Media for Information Seeking on Prostrate Health Condition among Men in Minna Metropolis, Niger State.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this establishment to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
4. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
5. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Diagnosis: The act or process of identifying or determining the nature and cause of a disease injury through evaluation, examination review of a patient laboratory data

Virus: Is a small infectious agent that replicated only inside the living cells of other organisms.