Differential association between perceived social support and andropause symptoms by psychological distress level in employed men

This study examined the association between andropause symptoms and multiple sources of perceived social support-supervisors, coworkers, and family or friends-among employed Japanese men and investigated whether these associations differed according to the level of psychological distress. Data were obtained from a 2024 cross-sectional internet-based survey of 1104 employed men aged 20-69 years. Andropause symptoms were assessed using the Aging Males' Symptoms Scale and classified into severe (≥50 points) and moderate or less (17-49 points) categories. Perceived social support was evaluated using validated scales for support from supervisors, coworkers, family members, or friends. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related covariates. Stratified analyses were conducted based on psychological distress levels. The prevalence of severe andropause symptoms was 8.3%. In addition, 7.8% met the criteria for a composite outcome defined as severe symptoms with suspected testosterone deficiency. Higher levels of supervisor support were associated with lower odds of severe andropause symptoms (OR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.35-0.72), as was support from family or friends (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.56-0.93), whereas coworker support was not significantly associated with symptoms. In stratified analyses, higher supervisor support was associated with lower odds of symptoms particularly evident among men experiencing high levels of psychological distress. These findings suggest that supervisor support may play an important role in protecting against andropause symptoms, particularly among employees experiencing high levels of psychological distress.