Different levels of awareness and knowledge of male climacteric in female nurses and female office workers.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine levels of awareness and knowledge regarding male climacteric or andropause in Japanese women. We also examined whether there are differences in these levels between nurses as a health profession group and office workers as a general population group.

METHODS

Two thousand and eight hundred female registered nurses and women with office-related general occupations aged 20-65 years in Japan completed health questionnaires regarding awareness and knowledge of male climacteric, including male menopausal symptoms and treatments.

RESULTS

The proportion in women who had heard of the term male climacteric in nurses was significantly higher than that in office workers. Nurses with past or current experience of menopausal symptoms were likely to recognize male climacteric. Nurses also had a higher level of knowledge than did office workers regarding male menopausal symptoms. High proportions of both nurses and office workers acknowledged depressed mood, irritability, nervousness and sleep problems as male menopausal symptoms. The proportions of women with sympathy for men with male climacteric were high in women with experience of past or current menopausal symptoms and in women who were close to men who suffered from menopausal symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses with past or current experience of menopausal symptoms had high levels of awareness and knowledge of male climacteric. To spread more information and knowledge regarding male climacteric, provision of education for these nurses may be needed.