‘Look at the bigger picture’ - Bailey implores men to change the legacy of the digital rectal examination

It takes courage and strength to go against the tide of stigma and negativity attached to a topic, and even more bravery to actually be vocal about something that the majority is against. Kevin Bailey is standing firm, however, in the swirling opinions about undergoing the digital rectal examination (DRE), which tests for prostate cancer.

He admits that his initial reaction to getting screened was one of apprehension, especially after hearing the different opinions of men who have done the DRE and those who were completely against it. Bailey also explained that while there were adult men around him growing up, the topic of prostate cancer and doing the DRE never surfaced.

“I can’t remember anybody in my family who had done it before and, well, my father was absent in my life, so I wouldn’t have had that conversation with him. But other men, uncles, stepfather, etc, nobody spoke about that,” Bailey said.

This led him to seek answers to the questions he had, and he found them in the media.

“I think I got a lot from just listening on the radio, reading the newspaper and understanding that early detection is extremely important. So having the knowledge, essentially from reading and listening, I decided to do it. I think that’s what was happening in my mind the first time,” he explained.

‘a little weird’

Bailey proceeded to describe his first experience as “a little weird”, but that was because of how the procedure is done and the fact that he had used a male urologist. He has since then switched to a female doctor and states that he has been getting his screening done each year because he is more focused on “the bigger picture”.

“Now it’s pretty much routine. The bigger picture is knowing that if there is anything (evidence of cancer) and there is an early detection, then that’s when you can get treatment, and it’s effective if you can detect it early,” he stated.

Bailey added: “So the overarching goal, or what I have in my mind, is that this is just a simple thing to do to prevent something that can be devastating. And I’ve had a good friend who died because of prostate cancer, and I think that probably underscores how important it is,” he disclosed.

With erectile dysfunction attached to having prostate cancer, one would expect that more men would be worry-free about having the DRE screening, but Bailey shed some light on the possible reason why men are shying away from having the quick test done.

“I have a feeling that some men are encouraged to do so because of that (erectile dysfunction). However, the bigger thing with male/male relationship and how we view that, and especially surrounding our buttocks, that I think cause a lot of fear,” he said,

“And I think that when people talk in groups and there is no education, it becomes almost like a myth; it’s like people are talking about things they don’t understand and create all this fear around it (DRE), instead of just being educated and looking at it logically.”

Bailey said it will take a lot of work to break the stigma and educate men so that prostate cancer screening can be normalised, resulting in a healthier society, with men who are not dying because of fear and silence.

one-on-one conversations

“So, by and large, I think a lot of work still needs to be done, like one-on-one conversations with men, almost like a focus group, all across villages ... whether it’s in rum bars, or churches or community centres, to have that kind of conversation until it’s, like, normalised,” he said passionately, “Like anything else, you have to put in the time and consistency, and you keep doing it and going at it until one day you realise, ‘Wow, men get it’.”

As a psychotherapist with Family Life Ministries, it is Bailey’s job to help others. “I would say to them that I totally understand how they feel, but they should look at the bigger picture of being able to live a healthy life and getting early detection, if there is something wrong, to prevent devastating consequences later on that is going to affect their sexuality, relationships, finances and their future,” he said.

He added the fact that they can always choose a female urologist to make facing their fears easier.

“For the first time, like with anything else, you face your fears, and after that you get over it. Plus, you want to set the example for your sons and others who may be younger than you,” he finished.

vanessa.james@gleanerjm.com