Racial Differences in Men's Health-seeking Behaviors for Urogenital Problems

Erectile problems and difficulty urinating, which are common problems among older men, are symptoms of prostate problems including prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatitis. Few studies examined racial differences in health-seeking behavior among men with erectile problems and urinary difficulty and what psychosocial or other factors predict the likelihood of men seeking medical help for these symptoms. We analyzed data from the Nashville Men's Preventive Health Survey (2008-2009), which was a probability sample of 392 African American (AA) and White men ages 40 to 70 years with no history of prostate cancer who lived in Nashville, Tennessee. Perceived stress, mental health status, and demographic factors were examined in relationship to doctor visits for urogential problems. There were significant racial differences in the factors that predict the likelihood of men seeking medical care. Age, marital status, perceived stress and mental health status were significant predictors for AA men but not for white men. Having medical insurance was a significant predictor for medical visit for urinary problems but not for erectile problems among white men but not for AA men. Overall, AA men were more likely to seek medical attention for urogential problems than White men. These results confirm other qualitative research findings that suggest that AA men are likely to seek medical care for issues that relate to masculinity and sexual performance. This study uncovers differences in health-seeking behaviors for potentially serious urogenital problems and has implications for prostate cancer screening and general health care utilization among older men.