The Jamaica Observer took to the streets of New Kingston to hear how members of the public feel about prostate cancer screening, as September, which is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, winds down.

The most frequent cancer in Jamaica, in 2020 there were 1,561 new cases of prostate cancer in the country. Screening is an important tool when it comes to the condition and is available through digital rectal examination and the prostate specific antigen, which is a blood test that measures markers for disease of the prostate.

Screening for prostate cancer in Jamaica should start at age 40. Here’s what Jamaicans had to say about screening for the condition.

One man said, “I feel good about getting an exam done once it has to do with your health…you have to feel good once you check out pon your health to find out what’s really going on with your system, so nothing is really wrong in doing a prostate test to find out.”

A younger man shared, “I think it should be something others should be comfortable with,” but admitted that he wouldn’t do it. His reason, “comfortability”.

“I don’t think there should be a problem with it, but I, personally, wouldn’t,” he explained.

An older participant said, “I have no feeling, no hold backs about prostate [exams], is the need to know.” Another added, “I’m alright, I do it all the time so no problem to me.”

Still, not everyone was open to the idea. One man firmly stated, “No, me wouldn’t try that, me wouldn’t do it none at all.”

Another expressed discomfort with the digital rectal examination method, saying, “I don’t think it’s appropriate for someone to be dressing you through your anal.” He believes this discomfort contributes to men avoiding the exam.

An older gentleman commented that age plays a role in acceptance.

“Doctors might convince you that you need to do it, but I think with the younger people dem, they have this stigma about people a put dem hand up [there] and all dem thing deh,” he said.

A woman also weighed in, sharing: “Based on how the prostate exam is done, they don’t want to do it. They aren’t open to it because they don’t want to be seen as gay.”

Despite these attitudes, most respondents agreed that more education and open dialogue could help break the stigma. Several said that even if they were personally hesitant, they would encourage others to get screened for prostate cancer.