Prevalence of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in men with diabetes in a primary healthcare setting
Introduction
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is the most common medical problem in men with
diabetes and a well-known complication of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). DM is a chronic disease
and as the life expectancies of the population increase around the world, there is a
tendency to see more complications diagnosed, such as ED.
Objectives
To estimate the prevalence of ED in men with diabetes assessed by the
International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IEF-5) tool. To describe the prevalence of ED
across demographic and clinical factors in men with diabetes. To describe the severity of
ED throughout the spectrum of glycemic control using HbA1c.
Method
The study was conducted at the Industry Health Centre using a face-to-face
standardized interview via the validated IEF-5 tool with additional questions about
demographics and other clinical data. A chi-square test with a statistical significance of
p<0.05 was applied to determine the relationship between ED and risk factors,
demographics, and comorbidities.
Results
The prevalence of ED was 75.4%. Most patients (40%) suffered from mild ED, 32%
from mild to moderate ED, and only 3% from moderate ED. No patients experienced severe
ED. No significant association between the demographic factors and the presence of ED
was found. Smoking was the only risk factor that showed a significant association with ED,
with a p-value of 0.011. Patients with poor glycemic control using HbA1c demonstrated the
highest overall prevalence, 43.6%, while patients with fair and good control accounted for
25.6% and 30.8%, respectively. No significant association was found between glycemic
control and ED.
Recommendations
ED is highly prevalent among men with diabetes, and
smoking tobacco plays a significant role in its appearance. The high ED rate warrants the
need for targeted, intensified measures to prevent, treat, and control the progression of
ED.
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