Awareness and Perception of Androgen Deficiency of Aging Males (ADAM) among Men in Osogbo, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: A clinical and biochemical syndrome associated with deficiency of androgen with ageing. Increased longevity of people has rekindled interest in hormonal alterations in the aged. Awareness of the entity is still low among men especially men of African descent.
Objective: To evaluate the awareness and perception about ADAM so as to provide basis for evidence based interventions addressing the subject in our environment.
Methods:  A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in Olorunda LGA , one of the LGAs that constitute Osogbo metropolis, the capital city of Osun State, Nigeria. A pre-tested, semi structured, interviewer administered questionnaire was applied to 400 men that had been selected using a multistage sampling technique. The sample size was calculated using fischer's formula for cross sectional descriptive surveys and the data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 .
Results:  The mean age of respondents was 42.3±14.8 years. Majority (95.5 %) of the respondents had formal education though up to variable levels. Many (43%) of them have never heard about andropause and 54.7% do not know anything about the symptoms. The commonest source of information about andropause among those who are aware is from friends (43.8%), none heard from health workers. Less than half (44.2%) of them believe it is due to aging, while majority (52%) have misconceptions like excessive sexual activity, or diabolical sources. Knowledge about andropause is better among older men (p<0.05) but educational status did not statistically affect it. (p>0.05).
Conclusion:  Many men in this environment still have low levels of awareness about andropause . Among those that are aware, there are large knowledge gaps and wrong perceptions of it. Hence the need for more aggressive public education (irrespective of their educational status) about the existence, aetiology and possible negative health effects of andropause.

Keywords: Andropause,Hypogonadism, Androgen, Ageing.