Abstract
Introduction Erectile dysfunction is a common sexual problem affecting men with hypertension. It may result in withdrawal from sexual engagement, decreased work productivity, psychosocial problems including poor self-esteem and depression, and reduction in quality of life for both the affected men and their female partners. Objective This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of erectile dysfunction and associated factors among hypertensive patients attending governmental health institutions in Gondar city, Northwest Ethiopia. Materials and Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 423 hypertensive men randomly selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Erectile dysfunction was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 tool. Sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors were also collected using pretested interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data were entered into EpiData version 4.6 and analyzed using Stata-14. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with erectile dysfunction. The level of significance was computed at a p value ≤ 0.05. Results The mean age of the study participants was 58.84 ± 13.52 years. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction among hypertensive men was 46.34% (95% CI: 41.61, 51.12). About 28% of them had a mild form of erectile dysfunction while nearly 6% had severe forms. Age above 60 years (AOR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.62, 6.55), stage II hypertension (AOR = 3.5, 95% CI: 1.63, 5.74), hypertension duration >10 years (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI:1.12, 4.19), comorbidity (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.04, 3.15), depression (AOR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.31, 4.21), and being physically active (AOR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.83) were factors significantly associated with erectile dysfunction. Conclusion Nearly half of the study participants had some form of erectile dysfunction, indicating the presence of a high burden of the problem. Assessment of hypertensive men for erectile dysfunction should be part of routine medical care.
Highlights
Erectile dysfunction is a common sexual problem affecting men with hypertension
An Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 10 to May 20, 2021, in Gondar city located 727 km away from Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. e city is among the ancient and densely populated cities in Ethiopia, having 206,987 people, according to the 2007 Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency office report [22]. ere are eight governmental health institutions, namely, University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (UoG CSH), Gondar Health Center, Woleka Health Center, Gebriel Health Center, Maraki Health Center, Mintiwab Health Center, Azezo Health Center, and Teda Health Center that have chronic care units for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus
A total of 423 male hypertensive patients were involved in the study with a 100% response rate. e mean age of the study participants was 58.84 (±13.52) years, ranging from 26 to 90 years. e majority of the study participants (79.67%) were married (Table 1)
Summary
Erectile dysfunction is a common sexual problem affecting men with hypertension. It may result in withdrawal from sexual engagement, decreased work productivity, psychosocial problems including poor self-esteem and depression, and reduction in quality of life for both the affected men and their female partners. ED results in withdrawal from sexual intimacy, decreased work productivity, and reduced quality of life [5,6]. It negatively affects employers as men with ED have higher absenteeism rates due to psychosocial reasons that lead to work productivity impairment [7]
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