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、尿道炎和性腺功能减退，非常普遍，对美国老年男性人口的健康、医疗保健支出和生活质量有巨大影响。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，他们可能特别普遍。几个专业协会和国家卫生研究院敦促对少数民族男性泌尿系统疾病的研究给予最高优先权。1993年NIH共识会议也提出了类似的关于勃起功能障碍的建议。同样，还研究了获得和利用保健服务在具体条件下的作用。我们的目的是进行一项横断面的、基于人群的随机抽样调查，以马萨诸塞州男性衰老研究的调查人员的现场经验为基础，来检查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）和白色（非西班牙裔）男性泌尿系统疾病的年龄特异性患病率。我们将测量每个少数群体内的生物生理因素、健康状况、药物和合并症、生活方式和行为以及三个群体之间的差异的相对贡献。医疗服务的获取，利用行为和生活质量方面也将进行探讨。我们的随机样本将包括总共3000名年龄在40-79岁之间的男性，其中1000名来自上述三个种族/族裔群体，居住在马萨诸塞州波士顿大都市区。我们会透过一个由双语采血师进行的家庭访问，收集血液样本及全面的健康资料。为了准备未来单独资助的前瞻性研究，我们将通过定期主要联系人积极维护样本。这种设计代表了一种具有成本效益的方法，可以在单波现场工作中收集有关四种人们知之甚少的医疗状况的详细信息。

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.