Prevalence and risk factors of erectile dysfunction among patients attending primary health care centres in Qatar

Erectile dysfunction is a common health problem affecting the quality of life of men of all ages. The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of and significant risk factors for erectile dysfunction among men of all nationalities attending primary health care centres in Qatar for any reason. Respondents aged 30 years (n = 1139) completed the sexual health inventory for men plus a questionnaire about their demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits and presence of chronic diseases. The total prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 56.9% (32.7% mild and 2.3% severe cases). All studied sociodemographic variables showed a significant association with erectile dysfunction. A lower prevalence of erectile dysfunction was found in smokers and those who exercised. More than 1 sexual partner, obesity and having a chronic disease (hypertension, coronary heart disease, hypercholesterolaemia or diabetes mellitus) were significantly positively associated with erectile dysfunction.