So what do you really know about men's health?

Spend a few minutes on this quiz to find out what you know about key aspects of men's health. When you've finished, submit your answers and we'll analyse your score and correct the answers you got wrong.

Choose one answer to each question, unless specified.  

Question 1

At birth, females in the western world have a longer life expectancy than
males. By about how many years on average?  

(a) 1-2 

(b) 3-4 

(c) 6-7  

(d) 10-11

Question 2

What’s the most common cause of death for males?
 

(a) Prostate cancer  

(b) Heart disease  

(c) Lung cancer  

(d) Road accidents  

Question 3

Which age-group is most affected by testicular cancer?  

(a) 5-14  

(b) 15-35  

(c) 40-59  

(d) 65-85  

Question 4

In the last 20 years, has the incidence of testicular cancer  

(a) Halved  

(b) Stayed the same  

(c) Doubled  

(d) Tripled  

Question 5

What’s the most common symptom of testicular cancer?  

(a) Generally feeling tired and run-down.  

(c) A painless lump in the scrotum  

(b) Traces of blood in urine or semen  

(d) Severe back pain  

Question 6

What’s the standard treatment for testicular cancer?

(a) Wait and see how big it gets before removing the tumour  

(c) Taking drugs (chemotherapy)
 

(b) Completely removing the scrotum  

(d) Removing the affected testicle  

Question 7

Where’s the prostate gland?  

(a) In the brain 
 

(b) In the neck   

(c) Beside the liver  

(d) Beneath the bladder
 

Question 8

What’s the most common symptom of prostate cancer?  

(a) Frequent urination

(c) Swelling in the groin

(b) Blood in
urine or semen  

(d) An aching penis

Question 9

What’s the standard treatment for prostate cancer that’s detected early?  

(a) Watch and wait to see how it develops before taking any action

(b) Radiotherapy

(c) Completely removing the prostate gland

(d) Removing the testicles

Question 10

 How many men suffer from erectile dysfunction (commonly known as impotence) at any one time?  

(a) 1 in 3  

(b) 1 in 6  

(c) 1 in 10  

(d) 1 in 14  

Question 11

 The causes of erectile dysfunction (impotence) include (choose as many as you like)  

(a) Old age

(f) Riding a bicycle

(b) Relationship problems with a partner

(g) High blood pressure

(c) Too much sex

(h) Too little sex

(d) Furred-up arteries (atherosclerosis)

(i) A lack of vitamin E

(e) Diabetes

Question 12

What’s the most common sexual problem affecting men?

(a) Erectile dysfunction (impotence)  

(c) Retarded (or delayed) ejaculation  

(b) Premature ejaculation 
 

(d) Loss of desire  

Question 13

What’s a varicocele?  

(a) A blood clot in the prostate gland  

(b) An ulcer on the head of the penis beneath the foreskin  

(c) A varicose vein on the shaft of the penis  

(d) A varicose vein surrounding a testicle  

Question 14

 Who’s more likely to commit suicide?  

(a) A man

(b) A woman

(c) Both are equally likely
 

Question 15

 In the last 50 years, average sperm counts have  

(a) Increased by 10 per
cent  

(c) Fallen by 50 per cent
 

(b) Fallen by 15 per cent
 

(d) Stayed the same  

Question 16

How many men have a fertility problem (e.g. a low sperm count)

(a) 1 in 100  

(b) 1 in 50  

(c) 1 in 20  

(d) 1 in 12  

Question 17

Which of the following are sexually transmitted infections (choose as many
as you like)  

(a) Genital warts

(h) Hepatitis

(b) Pubic lice (crabs)

(i) Peyronie’s disease

(c) Balanitis

(j) Syphilis

(d) Chlamydia

(k) Non-specific urethritis

(e) HIV

(l) Prostatitis

(f) Phimosis

(m) Genital herpes

(g) Gonorrhoea

(n) Benign prostatic hyperplasia

Question 18

The sexual behaviours that carry a high risk for transmitting HIV infection
include (choose as many as you like)

HIV is the virus that causes Aids

(a) Oral sex

(b) Unprotected anal sex (i.e. without a condom)

(c) Unprotected vaginal sex

(d) Deep mouth-to-mouth kissing

(e) Mutual masturbation

Question 19

Which of these activities should be avoided when having sex with a condom
(choose as many as you like) 

(a) Applying an oil-based lubricant

(b) Applying a water-based lubricant

(c) Using a condom twice

(d) Using two condoms at once for extra strength

(e) Putting one on only when the man’s about to ejaculate

(f) Asking a partner to put the condom on

Question 20

After a vasectomy, a man (choose as many as you like)  

(a) has to wait at least three months before he can have contraception-free sex with a
woman with no risk of pregnancy

(b) can enjoy
unprotected sex with no fear of transmitting HIV

(c) can always
restore his fertility by getting the operation reversed

(d) is more
likely to get testicular cancer and/or suffer from erectile dysfunction
(impotence)

Question 21

A man should consider losing weight if his Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeds  

(a) 20  

(b) 25  

(c) 30  

(d) 35  

Question 22

Ideally, what proportion of a man’s body weight should be made
up of fat?

(a) 5-10 per cent  

(b) 15-20 per cent  

(c) 25-30 per cent  

(d) 35-40 per cent  

Question 23

Which sex is more likely to be overweight?  

(a) Males  

(b) Females  

(c) Both are equally likely
 

Question 24

The recommended sensible weekly drinking limit for men is (one unit
is equivalent to a half pint of beer)  

(a) 12 units  

(b) 21 units  

(c) 35 units  

(d) 50 units  

Question 25

What are the chances of a lifelong male smoker living until he’s 73 years old?  

(a) 42 per cent  

(c) 52 per cent  

(b) 62 per cent  

(d) 72 per cent  

Question 26

Which of the following health problems can affect men? (choose as many
as you like)  

(a) Breast cancer

(f) Amenorrhea

(b) Endometriosis

(g) The menopause

(c) Anorexia

(h) Rubella

(d) Post-natal depression

(i) Cervical cancer

(e) Osteoporosis

(j) Polycystic ovaries

Question 27

Which of the following could be symptoms of depression in men (choose as
many as you like)  

(a) Anxiety and irritability

(e) Disturbed sleep

(b) Feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction

(f) Aggressive behaviour

(c) Fatigue

(g) Taking on more and more work

(d) Indecisiveness

Question 28

What's the most common cause of male balding?  

(a) Your genetic inheritance
 

(c) Too little testosterone 

(b) Too much testosterone
 

(d) Stress

Question 29

What is the average length of an erect penis?  

(a) 4 inches  

(b) 6 inches  

(c) 8 inches  

(d) 10 inches  

Question 30

It's unhealthy for an adult man to masturbate more than  

(a) Once a day

(c) 3 times a month

(b) Twice a week

(d) 10 times a year