The Impact of Dwelling Regions and Educational Levels on Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index in 20 Year Old Men / 대한남성과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The National Institutes of Health chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI) provides a valid outcome measure for men with chronic prostatitis. We surveyed a population of 20 year old Korean men using NIH-CPSI, and evaluated whether differences of dwelling regions and educational levels impacted on symptom index. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May and July 2000, a total of 12,659 male residents in the area of Chungnam including city of Taejoen visited the Military Manpower Administration. The 10,205 participants (response rate 80.6%) completed a self-administered questionnaire. The collected data were then used to estimate the impact of dwelling regions and educational levels on symptom index. RESULTS: Urinary symptoms and quality of life domain scores of participants dwelling in urban community regions were significantly higher than those in rural community (p<0.001, p=0.004, respectively). Pain and quality of life domain scores of participants with higher educational levels were significantly higher than those of lower educational levels (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). Pain domain was influenced by educational levels rather than dwelling regions and urinary symptom domain was influenced by dwelling regions rather than educational levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that the prevalence of chronic prostatitis may be influenced by dwelling regions and educational levels. We suggest that the differences of prevalence based on dwelling regions and educational levels should be considered as the characteristics of chronic prostatitis.