Dropout in a longitudinal, cohort study of urologic disease in community men

BACKGROUND: Reasons for attrition in studies vary, but may be a major concern in long-term studies if those who drop out differ systematically from those who continue to participate. Factors associated with dropout were evaluated in a twelve-year community-based, prospective cohort study of urologic disease in men. METHODS: During 1989–1991, 2,115 randomly selected Caucasian men, ages 40–79 years from Olmsted County, Minnesota were enrolled and followed with questionnaires biennially; 332 men were added in follow-up. A random subset (~25%) received a urologic examination. Baseline characteristics including age, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms, comorbidities, and socioeconomic factors were compared between subjects who did and did not participate after the twelfth year of follow-up. RESULTS: Of the 2,447 men, 195 died and were excluded; 682 did not participate in 2002. Compared with men in the 40–49 year age group, men ≥ 70 years of age at baseline had a greater relative odds of dropout, 2.65 (95% CI: 1.93, 3.63). In age-adjusted analyses, relative to men without stroke, men who had suffered a stroke had a higher odds of dropout, age-adjusted OR 3.07 (95% CI: 1.49, 6.33). Presence of at least one BPH symptom was not associated with dropout, (age-adjusted OR 1.12 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.36)). CONCLUSION: These results provide assurance that dropout was not related to primary study outcomes. However, factors associated with dropout should be taken into account in analyses where they may be potential confounders

Association Between Widowhood and Risk of Diagnosis With a Sexually Transmitted Infection in Older Adults

Objectives. We assessed whether widowhood is associated with risk of diagnosis with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) among older adults in the United States and whether the associations observed in men differed before and after the introduction of sildenafil, the first oral erectile dysfunction medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration

Sexual functioning in a population-based study of men aged 40-69 year: The good news

The aim of the study was to provide cross-sectional data on age-related sexual functioning of men aged 40-69 y. The study was a randomised age-stratified community-based sample survey. In all, 799 men from two comparable middle-sized areas of Belgium participated in the study. Trained male nurses visited each participant at home and conducted a structured interview during which the participants filled out the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). The main outcome measures were scores on the IIEF questionnaire at item level. This study showed that 69% of the sample attempted to have intercourse during the past 4 weeks with an age-related increase in the proportion of sexually inactive men (11% at age 40-49 y; 25% at age 50-59 y; 52% at age 60-69 y; P=0.0001). Almost 90% of sexually active men reported to be able to get and keep an erection until completion of intercourse, to ejaculate with a feeling of orgasm, and reported to be satisfied with their sexual partner relation and their overall sex life. About 75% of sexually active men reported to be (very) highly confident about their erectile functioning. Only 15% of sexually inactive men reported a high to very high frequency and strong to very strong level of sexual desire. Whereas 26% still reported high to very high confidence in their erectile capacity, 34% reported to be moderately to (very) satisfied with their sexual life. This study showed that sexuality still matters at middle to high age and that it deserves to be regarded as an important and continuing aspect of the overall adaptation to getting older.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe