title: Epidemiology of prostatitis: new evidence for a world-wide problem.
abstract: We review new data on the epidemiology of chronic prostatitis. These population-based studies used reasonable case-definitions to survey various populations from North America, Europe and Asia. Overall, 2-10% of adult men suffer from symptoms compatible with chronic prostatitis at any time and approximately 15% of men suffer from symptoms of prostatitis at some point in their lives. Other epidemiologic data suggest that chronic prostatitis may be associated with an increased risk for development of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. These data suggest that chronic prostatitis is an important international health care problem that merits increased priority from clinicians and researchers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, VAPSHCS (112-GU), 1600 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. jkrieger@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Krieger
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: Phaik Yeong
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Cheah
authors.forename: Men Long
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Liong
authors.forename: Kah Hay
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009656:North America; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors