We evaluated the effect of patient age, educational status, ethnicity and geographic location upon the American Urological Association benign prostatic hyperplasia symptom scores. Using patients attending Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, we collected additional data on the symptom score and also on education received. A total of 2,245 records was obtained from 4 different centers. Of the population 72% were white and 13% were black. Regression analysis of patient age versus symptom score demonstrated an increase with patient age from 4.59 at age 40 years to 8.17 at age 70 years. Analysis of covariance revealed significant differences in age-adjusted scores between sites from 6.24 in New Orleans, Louisiana to 8.58 in Madison, Wisconsin. No effect was noted for education or ethnicity on symptom scores.