BACKGROUND: The authors studied the practice of precocious diagnosis for prostate cancer among 289 professor-physicians of the School of Medicine, Minas Gerais Federal University, Brazil. METHODS: Replies on these preventive practices were received from 135 professor-physicians through a confidential questionnaire administered. RESULTS: Results show that 20.7% of the professor-physicians "fifty-one years old or more" never had a prostate preventive exam and 36.2% never had a rectal touch. CONCLUSIONS: This data suggests the need for additional investigation and the attention of the health services.
BACKGROUND: The authors studied the practice of precocious diagnosis for prostate cancer among 289 professor-physicians of the School of Medicine, Minas Gerais Federal University, Brazil. METHODS: Replies on these preventive practices were received from 135 professor-physicians through a confidential questionnaire administered. RESULTS: Results show that 20.7% of the professor-physicians "fifty-one years old or more" never had a prostate preventive exam and 36.2% never had a rectal touch. CONCLUSIONS: This data suggests the need for additional investigation and the attention of the health services.