Knowledge and experiences of andropause among men in Lagos, Nigeria

Andropause is increasingly becoming a global health concern as the world's population of aging males increases.

To describe the level of knowledge and experiences of as well as the responses of adult men to andropause in Lagos, Nigeria.

Structured questionnaires were administered to 250 adult males selected by multistage sampling in Mushin area of Lagos, Nigeria.

Many of the respondents (45.1%) had no knowledge of andropause although most (96%) had experienced a wide variety of the characteristic physical changes. The main symptoms reported occurred mainly between the ages of 54-62 years. Increasing age, not working and lack of formal education were significantly associated with an increased number of a variety of symptoms experienced (p<0.001). Many of the respondents were indifferent about the symptoms they experienced, as they were accepted as a normal phase of the aging process.

Although there has been growing interest in andropause by health careproviders, pharmaceutical companies and the general public over the years, knowledge of its aetiology, diagnosis and management among black men is still incomplete. The findings of this study underscore the need for health education in order to increase the knowledge of and improve the quality of care of andropause among adult men in Nigeria.