BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA IN MALE PATIENTS AGE 60 TO 75 RECEIVING TREATMENT AT KISUMU COUNTY HOSPITAL KISUMU

Abstract

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia has emerged as one of the most important public health issues due to its prevalence among the aging male population and its impact on life. The prevalence increases with age, affecting approximately 50% of men aged 50-60 years and up to 90% of men over 80 years globally. Reports indicate that in West Africa indicated that the prevalence of men with BPH ranged from 10-15 % in age 50-80 years. Studies in Kenya indicate a prevalence of BPH in about 24% of men aged 50 and above and is expected to rise over the years. Therefore, this study looked at benign prostatic hyperplasia in men aged 60-75 getting treatment at Kisumu County Hospital. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive study design utilizing quantitative approaches targeting BPH patients. The research provided a conceptual framework that guided the study in addressing factors influencing the prevalence of BPH. A random sampling method was to be used to select participants for the study. The study targeted a sampling size of 29 participants who were interviewed using structured questionnaires. The collected data was loaded into Microsoft Office Excel 2016 Data was summarized using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that in socioeconomic factors 65% of the participants had financial constraints which led to inaccessible health insurance hence inaccessible health services. The study also revealed that the most number of participants affected by BPH were above 60 years with 50% of the participants being older than 70 years showing the influence of sociodemographic factors on the development of BPH. Studies done on lifestyle factors showed that 65% of the participants smoked while 35% did not smoke. In conclusion, it was established that socioeconomic factors influenced the development of BPH. The level of education of participants greatly influenced their knowledge of BPH and ways to get faster treatment on seeing the signs. Based on the findings, the study recommended that targeted awareness programs be implemented to address socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and also address early screening and promote community awareness of the causes of BPH.