title: Urinary symptoms: prevalence and severity in British men aged 55 and over.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the prevalence and severity of urinary symptoms among men aged 55 and over in the British population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional population survey using a postal questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  North West Thames health region.
  
  
  METHODS
  1480 men aged 55 years and over randomly selected from 8 general practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self reported frequency and severity of urinary symptoms, their bothersomeness and previous prostate surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate among eligible subjects was 78%. The prevalence of moderate and severe symptoms was 204 per 1000, rising from 160 per 1000 in the 55-59 age group to 259 per 1000 in the 70-74 age group and declining after the age of 80 to 119 per thousand in the 85+ age group. Twelve per cent of men reported previous prostate surgery, and the probability of having had surgery increases steadily with age. About a third of those undergoing surgery have recurrence or persistence of symptoms after surgery. Of men with moderate and severe symptoms, 27.9% reported that their symptoms were a medium or big problem, 36.9% reported that their symptoms interfered with their daily activities at least some of the time, and 43.1% were unhappy or 'felt terrible' about the prospect of a future with their current symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of urinary symptoms in men is lower than previously reported, although there is a substantial number of men who are bothered by, or who find their lives adversely effected by them.
authors: Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
authors: D J
authors: DJ
authors: Hunter
authors: C M
authors: CM
authors: McKee
authors: N A
authors: NA
authors: Black
authors: C F
authors: CF
authors: Sanderson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011469:Prostatic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D011897:Random Allocation; D012307:Risk Factors; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology