Treatment – Erectile Dysfunction

In the Cross-National Survey on Male Health Issues, the aim was to describe the motivators and barriers influencing treatment-seeking behavior in men with ED. Screening included 32,644 men. Follow-up questionnaires were completed by 2831 men who suffered from ED. Men were recruited in waiting rooms in general practice offices. Treatment-seeking among men who suffered from ED was highest among Spanish men (48%) and lowest for German and Italian men (27 and 28%, respectively). Rate of cur-rent ED medication use among men suffering from ED was quite low across all countries, ranging from only 8% in France and Italy to 14% in the United States.

The top three barriers to seeking ED treatment were the belief that ED was a normal part of aging, the belief that the condition would resolve on its own, and embarrassment. Older men were more likely to view ED as a normal condition, and younger men were more likely to hope that their ED would resolve on its own. Once they perceived an erection problem, men waited many months before seeking treatment, ranging from just over 1 yr in Italy to almost 3 yr in the United Kingdom. Several barriers continue to influence treatment-seeking behavior in men with ED, resulting in low rates of utilization and high rates of dropout for therapies for ED. Further research in this field is urgently necessary.