The hidden erection problem in young men |
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A study in Western Australia on male erectile
dysfunction found that one quarter of men had erection problems, and one in
twelve had severe erectile difficulty. The study was conducted by sending postal questionnaires to randomly selected men in the electoral roll. In summary, before we look at the detail of the study, these are the basic facts: 42% of questionnaires were returned to the researchers, so the sample was to some extent self-selected. Among adult men in WA, the occurrence of any erection problem and severe erectile dysfunction was, respectively, 25.0% and 8.5%. As you might expect, the frequency of erection problems increased with age. Astonishingly, thirty-eight percent of married men and men who had partners experienced erection problems (severe erection problems 19.1%). There was little difference between white collar and blue collar workers; the most disturbing fact of all was that the vast majority of the men had had erection problems for over a year, but only a meagre 14% had asked for or received any treatment. Erectile dysfunction (erection problems) means that a man is consistently and perhaps recurrently unable to achieve an erection hard enough for penetration and sexual intercourse. The researchers wanted to conduct a survey on erection problems among men in Western Australia, and used the Electoral Roll for June 2001 as the source for the men they questioned. They selected men by age and location, using 14 random samples of 302 men in and outside Perth. They sent out a reply-paid questionnaire by mail and in it asked questions on medical history and medical treatment, social status, sexual behavior and sexual function. The men were classified as blue or white collar workers and assessed for social deprivation. The data was collected using the International Index for Erectile Function, which is also called the Sexual Health Inventory for Men. 4,228 questionnaires were posted, and 1,580
(89.3%) returned with a full set of answers. These 1,580 men were aged between
20.1 and 99.6 years. For the purpose of this study they were grouped by age.
Erection problems occurred in 25% of the whole sample, and and an astonishing
8.5% of these men reported severe erection problems. Both the frequency of
occurrence and the severity of erection problems increased very significantly
with age, particularly after a man reached 50 years of age. But even 15% of the
young men aged between 20 and 29 years had erectile problems - and surprisingly,
this was less than the men in the next older age groups. There are many interesting facts in this survey beyond those related to erection problems. For example, while about three quarters of the men were married or living with sexual partners, only three quarters of these men were sexually active. Of the ones who were sexually active, just over 60% said they were having sex on a regular basis. Of the other quarter who were not living with a wife or partner, 53.9% were sexually active - and indeed 39.2% of these men said they had sexual intercourse on a regular basis. A majority of the men were employed, though 36.8%
had retired on grounds of age and 6.8% had retired on the grounds of ill-health. Most of the men (a massive 89.1%) with erection problems had had their difficulties for more than 1 year, and a whopping 74.8% had had erection problems for more than two years; unbelievably 12.2% said they had been suffering for more than 10 years. And the longer it went on, the worse it got. Yet only 90 men (a meager 14.1%) had ever looked for and got any treatment. Most studies on erection problems have looked at men aged between 40 and 70 years, but this study covered a much bigger range. To this extent, then, it represents the entire spectrum of adult men in WA. You have to assume that this is typical of the results in much of the Western World, and it is truly shocking. When you look at the detail, it seems odd that men in the 20 – 29 age group appeared to have more erection problems than the 30 – 39 years age group. Possible explanations include commonplace stress of early adulthood such as new relationships, new work responsibilities, and stress linked to leaving home. Among men aged between 40 and 69 years, erection problems occurred in 33.0% of men, while sever erection problems occurred in 8.6%. In fact, the age of a man is far more important than any other factor in determining whether a man has an erection problem.
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