Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in African American Men Merits Greater Consideration in Academic Medicine

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, which is highly prevalent in aging men. This process of benign prostate enlargement is known to occur more rapidly in African American men, which has resulted in a disproportionately increased prevalence relative to the general population. In the United States, the cause of this disproportionately increased risk in African Americans is believed to be due to both genetic factors as well as a complex myriad of variables related to health disparities. Despite a robust increase in research related to prostate cancer in African American men, the issue of BPH/LUTS in the African American community deserves equally increased attention in academic medicine. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief review of the medical literature on BPH/LUTS in the African American community to highlight unknown components of the disease and to demonstrate the need for more equitable urologic healthcare.