App-based intervention aims to increase PSA screening among Black men

A newly funded study at the University of Oklahoma will evaluate whether a culturally tailored smartphone application and at-home prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing can increase prostate cancer screening among Black men in Oklahoma.¹

The randomized clinical trial (NCT07055165) will evaluate the Connect2Care smartphone application against a US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) prostate cancer screening app and usual care. The study addresses a persistent disparity in prostate cancer outcomes. According to the American Cancer Society, Black men face prostate cancer mortality rates approximately 2 to 4 times those in all other men.²

“PSA screening rates are very low among Black men, and early detection is critical for improving outcomes,” said principal investigator Adam C. Alexander, PhD, a member of the TSET Health Promotion Research Center at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and an assistant professor in the OU College of Medicine, in a news release.¹ “When prostate cancer is detected in later stages, the 5-year survival rate plummets as low as 33%. But when it is detected early, the survival rate is between 90% and 100%. We believe we have created an innovative way to increase PSA screening that allows men to complete testing at home.”

What is the Connect2Care app?

The Connect2Care app provides information about prostate cancer and PSA screening, culturally tailored educational material, testimonials and educational videos, navigation for ordering an at-home PSA test, and connection with medical professionals. Participants can also receive confidential support from someone who has lived with prostate cancer—a feature which is intended to help overcome stigma.

The at-home testing component is intended to address practical barriers to clinic-based screening, including transportation, competing work and family obligations, and limited access to health care. The app will also connect participants to social needs referral services.

How is the study designed?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study is a randomized, parallel-group clinical trial being conducted in Oklahoma.³ Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to the Connect2Care App, the USPSTF app—which provides based information—or usual care.

The investigators plan to enroll 684 Black men aged 55 to 69 years who are not up to date with PSA screening and assess whether the intervention increases completion of PSA testing, as well as whether patients sought follow-up treatment for elevated PSA levels. Participants will use their assigned intervention for 30 days and will then be followed for 6 months.

In addition to access, the study will also examine screening readiness, including prostate cancer knowledge, screening intentions, motivation, and self-efficacy.

“What we’re looking for in the study is whether Connect2Care can increase the number of people who complete PSA screening and whether providing an at-home option helps overcome some of the barriers to screening,” Alexander explained. “We believe we have created a one-stop shop that will make screening easier and provide a seamless handoff to a medical provider if further evaluation or treatment is warranted.”

The larger trial builds on an earlier pilot randomized clinical trial that demonstrated that Black men who used the app learned more about prostate cancer and were more likely to complete at-home PSA testing than men who used the USPSTF informational app.

REFERENCES

1. Study targets prostate cancer screening gap among Black men. News release. The University of Oklahoma. September 2, 2026. Accessed September 9, 2026. https://inside.ouhsc.edu/news/article/study-targets-prostate-cancer-screening-gap-among-black-men

2. Siegel RL, Kratzer TB, Wagle NS, Sung H, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2026. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2026. doi:10.3322/caac.70043

3. Connect2Care: Prostate Cancer Education and Screenings for African American Men. ClinicalTrials.gov. Last updated September 25, 2025. Accessed September 9, 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07055165