Table 3 Clinical characteristics, medical comorbidities and information about prostate cancer screening and serum PSA levels in cases and controls

Age at prostate cancer diagnosis (years)

    <50

1

2.0

    50 - 59

4

8.0

    60 - 69

20

40.0

    70 - 79

25

50.0

Reason for prostate cancer diagnosis

    Abnormal PSA only

1

2.0

    Abnormal PSA or DRE & Symptoms

5

10.0

    Symptoms only

38

76.0

    Don’t know

6

12.0

Gleason score

    4 - 6

12

24.0

    7

16

32.0

    8 - 10

18

36.0

    Missing

4

8.0

Serum PSA (ng/dl)*

    <4

1

2.0

36

72.0

    4 - 9.9

5

10.0

9

18.0

    10 - 19.9

4

8.0

-

-

    20 - 49.9

4

8.0

4

8.0

    50 - 135

31

62.0

-

-

    Missing*

5

10.0

1

2.0

Prostate cancer screening

    No screening (either PSA or DRE)

-

-

40

80.0

    PSA only or DRE only

8

16.0

4

8.0

    PSA and DRE (both)

41

82.0

6

12.0

    Unknown / missing

1

2.0

-

-

Current health

    Excellent

1

2.0

3

6.0

    Very Good

1

2.0

9

18.0

    Good

20

40.0

21

42.0

    Fair

25

50.0

15

30.0

    Poor

3

6.0

2

4.0

Comorbid conditions;

    Asthma

1

2.0

3

6.0

    High blood pressure

21

42.0

30

60.0

    Stroke

1

2.0

2

4.0

    Diabetes

6

12.0

7

14.0

    High cholesterol

-

-

3

6.0

    Ulcers

2

4.0

6

12.0

    Chronic back pain

3

6.0

5

10.0

    Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

31

62.0

4

8.0

    Urinary tract infections/STD

2

4.0

2

4.0

Use of Traditional Medicine (Current)

11

22.0

12

24.0

Nr of physical exams (past 3 yrs); mean; sd

7.0

11.4

6.2

8.5

Nr of traditional healer visits; mean sd

9.4

17.8

1.7

2.7