Chronic prostatitis-like symptoms in African males aged 16-19 years.
BACKGROUND
To estimate the prevalence of chronic prostatitis (CP)-like symptoms in African adolescents, examining the impact of demographic factors, CP-like symptoms (i.e., pain, urinary) and depressive symptoms on quality of life (QoL).


METHODS
Community dwelling African males aged 16-19 years (M = 16.97; SD = .88; n = 166), attending secondary school participated. CP-like case identification was based on NIH-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index definition (NIH-CPSI; pain in perineum and/or with ejaculation and NIH-CPSI total pain score of ≥ 4 [mild] and ≥ 8 [moderate-severe]). The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) assessed depressive symptoms. CP-like point prevalence was estimated and multivariable regressions predicted diminished QoL as screened in the NIH-CPSI QoL domain. Participants were consented by field researchers and all potential participants agreed to complete the measures in classroom setting.


RESULTS
Prevalence of at least mild CP-like symptoms by NIH-CPSI case identification was 13.3%, with 5.4% of adolescents reporting moderate-severe symptoms. Greater pain, urinary and depressive symptoms and rural setting of school were associated with diminished QoL, and pain (β = .36) most strongly predicted poorer QoL.


CONCLUSIONS
As in North American adults and adolescents, African adolescents report CP-like symptom occurrence with pain associated with lower QoL. The data suggest an adolescent CP syndrome is an internationally important and understudied area for future epidemiological and clinical investigations.
Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Dean A
DA
Tripp
J Curtis
JC
Nickel
Jennifer L
JL
Pikard
Laura
L
Katz
D000293:Adolescent; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult