Introduction:

Cervical and prostate cancers have a significant burden of disease in developing countries. Self-efficacy to request screening is a key element in prevention.

Objective:

To compare the perception of men and women on self-efficacy for cervical and prostate cancer screening.

Methods:

Mixed study with 50 women and 50 men. Sociodemographic data was investigated. The cervical cancer detection self-efficacy scale was applied, with a modification for measuring prostate cancer in men. Self-efficacy was classified by levels and the variables associated with it were identified with robust regression. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 individuals (18 men and 9 women) with low and high self-efficacy and of "other religion" to know the differences in the intention of the screening. Three categories of analysis were created based on the health belief model.

Results:

Women and men were similar except for religion, occupation, and history of Pap smear or rectal exam. Self-efficacy was higher among women (Adj. β: -15.29, 95% CI: -18.36 to -12.21) and non-believers (Adj. β: -5.38, 95% CI: -10.33 to -0.44). They seek screening more than men because they need to have symptoms. Shame and discomfort are barriers expressed by both genders. In men, machismo is a strong barrier to request screening. Religion associates sex with impurity, thus, acts as a barrier among women. Health care services only focus on female screening.

Conclusions:

gender roles and elements of religion are cultural expressions, which determine the intention of cancer detection in men and women. Health services interventions should consider these elements to improve the coverage of early detection and reduce the morbidity and mortality of these two types of cancer.