Health status of American men -- a study of post-vasectomy sequelae. Within-pair agreement.

The authors compare vasectomized and nonvasectomized men contrasted within pairs. Within-pair agreements of variables for 10590 paired men were evaluated by means of two-way tables for paired data. As principal matching variables 98.7% of pairs were matched according to race and 91.8% according to marital status. Only 49% of the pairs were however matched according to age. 60.8% were matched according to education 74% according to types of children and 88% according to change of occupation because of an health reason. These latter data are for only 10073 pairs. The lowest concordance was 14% for alcohol consumption although the index for the balance of discordant pairs was 94%. The percent of concordant pairs generally exceeded 70% for exposure to all environmental elements several times per week anytime in the past except for chemicals cleaning fluids and solvents where the concordance was 56%. The index for the balance of discordant pairs was nonetheless very high. Percent concordance is also presented on the highest grade completed usual occupation children number of siblings the survival status of parents smoking status in procedure year physical activity in work relative to other men at their jobs physical activity outside of work relative to men of same age disability or illness which kept the subject from usual work activity for at least two weeks since age 18 concern about own health and the frequency of routine physical examinations.