title: More than half of the men in a Swedish population of men aged 55, 65 and 75 believe in 'a male climacteric'.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Symptoms of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) are often unspecific, and the existence of a male climacteric has been much debated. In this study, we investigate aging men's thoughts about, and beliefs, in a 'male climacteric'.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was developed including background demographic data, symptoms possibly related to LOH and questions about men's thoughts and beliefs in a 'male climacteric'. All men, 55-, 65- and 75-years old, living in Linkoping, Sweden (n=1885) received the questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand three hundred fifty-six (72%) questionnaires were eligible for evaluation, 65.4% of the responders had heard of a 'male climacteric', and 42.2% believed it existed but only 3% had sought medical advice for these symptoms. More than half believed that a 'male climacteric' was related to decreased libido and less strong erections. Almost half of the men thought that decreased memory and/or dystymia and anxiousness were related to a male climacteric.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of men have heard of a male climacteric, but only a minority had consulted a practitioner about their symptoms. More information and knowledge are needed, for the general population to better motivate men to seek medical advice and also for the health care professionals to better deal with the symptoms of LOH.
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linkoping University, Linkoping, Sweden. Anna-Clara.Spetz.Holm@LiO.se
authors.forename: Anna-Clara Spetz
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Mats G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fredrikson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D047649:Andropause; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D054526:Men's Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology