Prevalence of erectile dysfunction among smokers in southwestern Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the failure to develop or maintain erections that are adequate for sexual performance. ED is increasing in prevalence and incidence worldwide. According to the latest epidemiologic studies, around 10% of men aged 40 to 70 have severe or complete ED. An additional 25% of men in this age group have moderate or sporadic ED. The literature is replete with evidence that smoking has a negative impact on erectile function independent of age or comorbidities. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia, from March-2021 to June-2021. Data on demographic characteristics, erectile dysfunction, and smoking habits was collected by self-administered questionnaire. The descriptive statistics were calculated to measure significant differences among variables, and the chi-square test and t-test were used at 5% level of significance. The data analysis was done by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)-version 20 software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: Out of 500 distributed questionnaires, 450 questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of 90.0%. Of 450 patients, the average (SD) age was 33.6 (8.9) years and 55.6% were sexually active (N = 250). Thirty six percent of sexually active respondents were smokers. Independent of age, smokers were at higher risk of having ED. Conclusions: Smoking was associated with higher risk of ED. So, health-policy makers should start an awareness campaign to educate people about the adverse effects of smoking on men’s health. The government should also support these programs for the public.