Age and social gradients in the intensity of aging males' symptoms in Poland.
BACKGROUND
We performed the study in order to describe the age-related changes and social gradients in the intensity of aging males' symptoms in healthy men in Poland.


METHODS
We examined 405 men aged 32-79, healthy inhabitants of Poland. Severity of aging males' symptoms was assessed using the Polish version of AMS scale. The social position was expressed using their educational level, commonly accepted as a reliable and specific index of social status in Poland.


RESULTS
Male aging in Poland was accompanied by an increase in the intensity of all groups of evaluated symptoms (psychological, sexual and somato-vegetative symptoms, respectively: r = 0.36, r = 0.72, r = 0.59, all p < 0.0001). The results of ANOVA revealed the independent effects of both age and social status on the intensity of psychological symptoms (F = 17.89, p < 0.0001 and F = 9.51, p < 0.0001 for age and educational level, respectively), sexual (F = 114.70, p < 0.0001 and F = 5.90, p < 0.01), and somato-vegetative symptoms (F = 52.86, p < 0.0001 and F = 3.85, p < 0.05). The better the education of Polish men, the less intense the aging males' symptoms, irrespective of their age.


CONCLUSIONS
Age and social position constitute major determinants of the intensity of aging males' symptoms in Poland.
Jankowska
Ewa Anita
EA
Institute of Anthropology, Polish Academy of Sciences ul. Kuznicza 35, Wroclaw, Poland.
Szklarska
Alicja
A
Lopuszanska
Monika
M
Medras
Marek
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D047649:Andropause; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors