title: Self-rated health and semen quality among 3,457 young Danish men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between self-rated health (SRH) and semen quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of men attending a compulsory physical examination to determine their fitness for military service from 1996 to 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  Young men were approached when they were summoned for a compulsory physical examination to determine their fitness for military service in two major Danish cities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3,457 Danish young men delivered a semen sample, had a physical examination performed, and responded to a questionnaire including a question about SRH.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen quality and testis size.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After control for confounders, men with good and poor SRH had, respectively, 0.5 mL (95% CI: -0.8, -0.1) and 0.8 mL (95% CI: -2.4, 0.8) smaller testes size compared to men with very good SRH, the trend was statistically significant. Men with good and poor SRH had, respectively, 12.2% (95% CI: -21.2%, -2.2%) and 26.9% (95% CI: -55.7%, 20.8%) lower total sperm count compared to men with very good SRH, the trend was statistically significant, and had +0.4% (-1.4%, 2.2%) and 1.4% (-3.5%, 0.7%) fewer morphologically normal sperms (trend statistically significant). Percentages of motile spermatozoa and semen volume were not significantly associated with SRH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found significant associations between SRH and semen quality and testicular size. Given the cross-sectional study design, we cannot establish a causal relationship but argue that SRH may be associated with semen quality. Our findings need to be validated and confirmed with other study designs (preferably prospective) and in populations of different age structure and fertility status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. tkjensen@health.sdu.dk
authors.forename: Tina K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Asklund
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carlsen
authors.forename: Tage S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Niels Erik
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Skakkebaek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology