Male menopause and men of African descent

Abstract

INTRODUCTION To the chagrin of some and the delight of others, we experience various changes as we age. Some of the changes, such as a shift in values, are psychological in nature. Many of the changes, however, are physiological. For example, our skin becomes less elastic, our height decreases, and our nails grow more slowly. Furthermore, our stamina becomes weaker and reflexes are not as fast as they once were. The changes that occur are often associated with the term midlife crisis. However, for men a new descriptor is being used to explain the changes they exper ience-male menopause. The term menopause is commonly associated with a woman's cessation of menstruation. Symptoms generally associated with menopausal women include hot flashes, mood swings, headaches, and anxiety. Women, in other words, experience many physiological changes during menopause. The term, however, is no longer only relegated to women. It is also being used to delineate the changes--psychological and physiological--men may experience at midlife. While there is voluminous literature on African American men relative to social issues (Gadsden & Smith, 1994; Gordon, 1994; White & Cones, 1999), manhood (Hine & Clark, 1999; Hunter & Davis, 1994), education (Cross & Slater, 2000; Hrabowski, The term midlife crisis is commonly used to describe changes adults experience as they age. Menopause, more often than not, is associated with women who