Prostate disease is one of the most common diseases to affect men but it is rarely talked about. New research released by Prostate Scotland today, 3 February, shows that only 4% of people surveyed know that prostate disease affects nearly one man in two at some stage in their lives.
Despite this low awareness of the prevalence of prostate disease, 37% of people surveyed were either directly affected, or know someone who is. To help raise awareness of prostate disease Prostate Scotland has teamed up with the manager of Dundee United FC, Craig Levein, Scotland’s international record rugby points scorer, Chris Paterson and TV and radio presenter, Grant Stott to produce a short film.
The cheeky sport themed film is available to view on Prostate Scotland’s new website, www.prostatescotland.org.uk from today. The site will also contain a series of videos from men and clinicians in Scotland, providing experiences of men with prostate disease and explanatory videos from clinicians about the various prostatic diseases and their treatments.
Robert Wilson Chairman of Prostate Scotland said: “The research proved there is a lack of awareness with only 28% of people surveyed being close to aware of the prevalence of prostate disease. The website contains some important awareness materials to help reverse this gap in information.
“We based the site around a man’s journey from symptoms through to investigations and treatments. We also based the emphasis of the site on those topics and questions which many men and doctors across Scotland told us were most important to them.”
Over the past 20 years the number of men surviving prostate cancer has doubled and survival rates are now 80%. However, prostate disease is one of the most common diseases to affect men and prostate cancer is likely soon to be the most common cancer in men in Scotland. Projections by the NHS show that the diagnosis of men with prostate cancer is set to rise by 35% between now and 2016 – 2020.
Grant Stott, TV and radio presenter said: “The results from this survey show that Scottish men don’t know very much about prostate disease. I personally couldn’t believe the figures of people at risk were this high and I just had to help raise awareness of this common but often unspoken disease and hopefully encourage more people to talk openly about a subject which shouldn’t be a taboo.”
The survey which was conducted by TNS for Prostate Scotland amongst a representative sample of 1006 adults across Scotland showed that nearly a fifth of people (17%) did not know that only men had a prostate and only 60% of 16-24 year olds did.
Symptoms of prostate problems or disease can include incomplete emptying of the bladder, difficulty passing urine, dribbling urine, having a week stream or having to frequently urinate.
Prostate Scotland was set up in 2006 as a Scottish charity to develop awareness of prostate disease and to support men and their families affected by the disease.
The film will be shown and the survey will be discussed at a Parliamentary Reception tonight for Prostate Scotland hosted by Nanette Milne MSP and Co-Convener of Cross Party Group on Cancer.
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