Epidemiology of Urologic Disorders in Minority Men

泌尿系统疾病，包括勃起功能障碍、良性前列腺增生、前列腺炎和性腺功能减退，非常普遍，并对美国老年男性人口的健康、医疗支出和生活质量产生巨大影响。令人惊讶的是，人们对这些疾病的基本流行病学知之甚少，特别是在少数民族人群中，这些疾病可能特别普遍。一些专业协会和美国国立卫生研究院敦促对少数族裔男性泌尿系统疾病的研究给予最高优先考虑。1993年美国国立卫生研究院共识会议也提出了关于勃起功能障碍的类似建议。还研究了获得和利用保健服务与具体条件的关系。我们的目的是进行一项横断面、基于人群的随机抽样调查，以马萨诸塞州男性老龄化研究的调查人员的现场经验为基础，研究少数民族男性泌尿系统疾病的流行病学。我们将估计和比较西班牙裔、黑人（非西班牙裔）和白人（非西班牙裔）男性泌尿系统疾病的年龄特异性患病率。我们将测量生物生理因素、健康状况、药物和合并症、生活方式和行为在每个少数群体中的相对贡献，以及三组之间的差异。医疗服务的获取，利用行为和生活质量的维度也将进行探讨。我们的随机样本将包括3000名年龄在40-79岁之间的男性，其中1000人来自上述三个居住在马萨诸塞州波士顿大都会区的种族/族裔群体。我们将通过双语采访者-抽血师进行的家庭访谈收集血液样本和全面的健康信息。为了准备将来可能进行的单独资助的前瞻性研究，我们将通过定期的主要联系积极维护样本。这种设计代表了一种成本效益高的方法，可以在一次实地工作中收集四种鲜为人知的医疗条件的详细信息。

Urologic disorders, including erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatis, and hypogonadism, are highly prevalent and have enormous impact on the health, medical-care expenditures, and quality of life of the aging U.S. male population. Surprisingly little is known about the basic epidemiology of these conditions, particularly in minority populations, where they may be especially prevalent. Several professional societies and the NIH have urged that research on urologic disorders in minority men be given highest priority. Similar recommendations regarding erectile dysfunction were made by a 1993 NIH Consensus Conference. The role of health-care access and utilization in relation to the specific conditions is likewise studied. We purpose to conduct a cross-sectional, population-based random- sample survey, building on the field experience of investigators from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, to examine the epidemiology of urologic disorders in minority men. We will estimate and compare the age-specific prevalence of urologic conditions in Hispanic, black (non- Hispanic), and white (non-Hispanic) men. We will measure the relative contribution of biophysiologic factors, health status, medications and co- morbidities, lifestyle and behavioral within each minority group and to variation among the three groups. Medical care access, utilization behavior, and quality of life dimensions will also be explored. Our random sample will include a total of 3000 men aged 40-79 year, 1000 from each of the three above mentioned racial/ethnic groups living in the Boston, MA metropolitan area. We will collect blood samples and comprehensive battery of health information in an in-home interview conducted by bilingual interviewer-phlebotomists. To prepare for the possibility of a future, separately funded prospective study we will actively maintain the sample through regular main contact. This design represents a cost-efficient approach to gathering detailed information on four poorly understood medical conditions in a single wave of field effort.