Impact of erectile dysfunction and its subsequent treatment with sildenafil: qualitative study
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of erectile dysfunction and to explore the impact of treatment with sildenafil (Viagra). DESIGN: An exploratory qualitative study with semistructured interviews. SETTING: Men's health clinic in NHS hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 40 men who had had erectile dysfunction and had attended the clinic during the year before interview. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Impact of erectile dysfunction on men, their expectations of sildenafil, and impact of treatment on men and their relationships. Issues explored with exploratory qualitative approach. RESULTS: Erectile dysfunction caused serious distress to all those men who experienced it, with marked effects on their self esteem and their relationships. Sildenafil, when it worked, caused a great improvement in wellbeing. The expectations raised by media hyperbole with the launch of sildenafil had an adverse effect on the morale of those who found it did not work. When, according to the patient, treatment did not work, the distress was severe and for many confirmed their lack of self worth. CONCLUSIONS: Further study is needed to explore the feelings of men affected by erectile dysfunction and their perception of treatment. Health professionals should be aware of the extreme distress erectile dysfunction can cause.
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Erectile dysfunction is consistently associated with depressive symptoms and reduced general happiness, as documented in quantitative and qualitative reports.
“ED has consistently been associated with depressive symptoms and a reduction of general happiness in life, which has been documented in both quantitative and qualitative reports (7, 10, 16).”
From Men's experience with penile rehabilitation following radical prostatectomy: a qualitative study with the goal of informing a therapeutic intervention. (2015) · cites this paper as [16]
In “Initial reaction to erectile dysfunction” (page unavailable), the qualitative study says participants’ reactions sometimes led to depression. The Introduction (page unavailable) describes questionnaire studies reporting poorer quality of life and an expectation of depressed mood. These passages support an association, but the paper says only that some studies suggest a psychological effect; it does not establish a consistent reduction in general happiness. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSingle men may be deterred from seeking romantic relationships by the bother of erectile dysfunction.
“For single men, the bother associated with ED can deter the pursuit of romantic relationships (16).”
From Men's experience with penile rehabilitation following radical prostatectomy: a qualitative study with the goal of informing a therapeutic intervention. (2015) · cites this paper as [16]
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- Authors
- Tomlinson, J., & Wright, D.
- Affiliations
- Royal Hampshire County Hospital (GB)
- University of Southampton (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Tomlinson, John
- Venue
- BMJ
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2004-03-29
- Volume
- 328
- Issue
- 7447
- Pages
- 1037
- ISSN
- 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
- 0959-8138
- 1468-5833
- PMC
- PMC403839
- OpenAlex
- W2098990235
- Cited by
- 147
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 7.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- BMJ (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Urology › Urological Disorders and Treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- erectile dysfunction, sildenafil, psychological impact, self-esteem, men's relationships, treatment expectations, media hype, treatment failure, men's health
- MeSH terms
- Sildenafil Citrate, Adult, Aged, Humans, Erectile Dysfunction, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Middle Aged, Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors, Piperazines, Purines, Sulfones, Treatment Outcome, Patient Satisfaction, Age Distribution
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