and also digital rectal examinations are both carried out frequently in older men, even when there is no indication for such testing.
Gillette and colleagues emphasize the importance of their findings. Whereas prior studies have relied on commercially insured men or patient-reported rates of PSA testing, they used a nationally representative clinical dataset that is much more inclusive, as it includes men who are also uninsured or insured through traditional Medicare.Screening for prostate cancer has been much debated, and the guidelines have changed in recent years.
In the current study, Gillette and colleagues conducted a secondary analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey datasets from 2013-2016 and 2018. The dataset is a nationally representative sample of visits to non-federal, office-based physician clinics. This analysis was restricted to male patients aged 70 years and older who visited a primary care clinic.