Sexual Ecology of Men With ED: Timing, Periodicity, and Predictability of Sexual Activity.

Sexual Ecology of Men With ED: Timing, Periodicity, and Predictability of Sexual Activity, William Fisher, University of Western Ontario; Ian Eardley, St. James University Hospital, United Kingdom; Craig Niederberger, University of Illinois at Chicago; Michael Sand, Bayer Healthcare

The Men's Attitudes to Life Events and Sexuality (MALES) 2004 Study examined the frequency, periodicity, and predictability of sexual activity of men with erectile dysfunction (ED) in an effort to describe the sexual ecology within which their sexual activity takes place. Respondents from the MALES study cohort of men with ED from 8 countries (USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Brazil; n = 2,912) were re-contacted where possible (n = 1,841) for MALES 2004, with a total sample achieved of 808 men. Of these, 694 men aged 2080 years with self-reported ED who reported current sexual activity with a partner were queried on the frequency, periodicity, and predictability of their sexual activity. Over three fourths (77%) of men in this sample were over 50 years of age, 77% were married or living with a partner, of which 92% were of greater than 2 years' duration. Mean frequency of sexual activity was five times per month, with 67% of men sampled having sex once a week or less. 72% had no set pattern regarding the day of the week; 44% of the activity took place at night, 34% showed no set pattern, and 22% in the morning or afternoon. 69% of men were unable to predict sexual activity more than 30 minutes prior to the actual activity. Men rarely had intercourse more than once within a 2-3 hour time period and rarely had intercourse in the morning after having intercourse the night before. In this sample, most men (72%) could not predict which day of the week sexual activity would occur, nor could they anticipate the occurrence of sexual activity more than 30 minutes in advance. For most men with ED, a therapy that offers rapid onset is an appropriate fit for the sexual ecological circumstances within which they function.