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Trends in reported male sexual dysfunction over the past decade: an evolving landscape

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 33, pages 596–602 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

We investigated changes in patterns of reported male SDs at a single academic centre over a 10-year time frame. Comprehensive data of 2013 patients consecutively assessed for the first time by a single Sexual Medicine expert between 2006 and 2019 has been analysed. All patients were assessed with a thorough sexual and medical history. Primary reason for seeking medical help at first assessment was recorded for all patients and categorized as: erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation (PE), low/reduced sexual desire/interest (LSD/I), Peyronie’s disease (PD), and other SDs. Linear and logistic regression models tested the association between different reasons for seeking medical help and the time at first evaluation. Local polynomial regression model explored the probability of reporting different SDs over the analysed time frame. Median (IQR) age at first clinical assessment was 50 (38–61) years. Overall, most patients were assessed for ED (824; 41%), followed by PD (369; 18%), PE (322; 16%), LSD/I (204; 10%) and other SDs (294; 15%). Significant changes in terms of reported SD over the analysed time frame were observed. The likelihood of assessing patients for ED significantly increased up to 2013, with a decrease in the past 5 years (p < 0.001). PE assessment at presentation linearly decreased over time (OR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.91–0.96; p < 0.001). Patients assessed during the past few years were more likely to report PD (OR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.15–1.25; p < 0.001) and LSD/I (OR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.16–1.26; p < 0.001), with a linear increase over the evaluated time frame. Likewise, patients were also more likely to report other SDs (Coeff: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02–1.10; p = 0.004), with a linear increase over time. These results may reflect real changes in SD incidence, increased public awareness towards different SDs and the possible impact of novel treatments available on the market throughout the same time frame.

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Fig. 1: Patients seeking help for sexual dysfunction (any type) over time.
Fig. 2: Probability of reporting different sexual dysfunctions over time.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Edoardo Pozzi, Paolo Capogrosso

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy

    Edoardo Pozzi, Paolo Capogrosso, Luca Boeri, Walter Cazzaniga, Rayan Matloob, Eugenio Ventimiglia, Davide Oreggia, Nicolò Schifano, Luigi Candela, Costantino Abbate, Francesco Montorsi & Andrea Salonia

  2. University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy

    Edoardo Pozzi, Walter Cazzaniga, Davide Oreggia, Nicolò Schifano, Luigi Candela, Francesco Montorsi & Andrea Salonia

  3. Department of Urology, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda – Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Luca Boeri

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Pozzi, E., Capogrosso, P., Boeri, L. et al. Trends in reported male sexual dysfunction over the past decade: an evolving landscape. Int J Impot Res 33, 596–602 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-0324-7

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