The effect of health literacy on patient compliance in patients to whom prostate biopsies were recommended.

Background: Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-Bx) is the gold standard diagnostic method for prostate cancer. In people with low health literacy, accurate and early diagnosis rates decrease, making it difficult to maintain health and compliance with treatment. In our study, we investigated how health literacy and sociocultural parameters affected compliance and awareness in patients with suspected prostate cancer, for whom TRUS-Bx was planned.

Methods: In the study, 98 male patients aged 50-80 years, recommended for TRUS-Bx, were included in our study. The data including age, prostate-specific antigen, prostate volume, digital rectal examination findings, education leveland area of residence of the patients included in the study were recorded. Health Literacy Survey-Turkey- Questionnaire 47 and Turkish Health Literacy Scale-32 forms were completed by the patients who agreed to participate in the study, and their scores were recorded. Patients scheduled for TRUS-Bx were divided into two groups: those who attended their appointments and underwent the biopsy, and those who did not attend their scheduled appointments. The effect of health literacy and other parameters on the TRUS-Bx requirement was examined between the two groups. Furthermore, 52 patients who underwent TRUS-Bx were divided into two groups as malignancy (malignant) detected and not-detected (benign) patients according to the pathology results, and the parameters were analyzed separately for these groups.

Results: The education level of the patients who underwent the TRUS-Bx procedure was found to be statistically higher (p = 0.026). Health Literacy Survey-Turkey- Questionnaire 47 and Turkish Health Literacy Scale-32 scores were statistically significantly higher in the TRUS-Bx group (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). In the logistic regression analysis, education level, Health Literacy Survey-Turkey- Questionnaire 47 and Turkish Health Literacy Scale-32 were found to be important predictors for awareness of the requirement for TRUS-Bx.

Conclusion: The study's findings indicate that patients with higher health literacy and education levels were more likely to receive an early diagnosis and promptly proceed with the recommended TRUS-Bx after visiting a urologist.