What do general practitioners think and do about prostate cancer screening in Australia?

BACKGROUND Men seek advice from their general practitioner (GP) on the merits of screening for prostate cancer. This study aimed to examine how the knowledge and clinical experience of GPs influenced their position on prostate cancer screening. METHODS A total of 13 focus groups were set up with 77 GPs. Focus group discussions were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed by two investigators via thematic analysis. RESULTS GPs were evenly divided between those who proactively screen men for prostate cancer and those who do so only at the patient's request. GPs had limited knowledge of recently published evidence from trials on prostate cancer screening. DISCUSSION Effective methods of increasing GP knowledge about evidence-based recommendations and potentially changing clinical behaviour are required in order to promote evidence-based decision-making by GPs and their patients.