Relationship between self- image of penile size and erectile function in Japanese men

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Many studies on penile size have been conducted in other countries, but very few in Japan. Furthermore, there are no reports about men's self-image of penile size or the effect of self-image on erectile function. Objectives We investigated penile size in male urology outpatients and examined the difference between subjective and objective penile size and the relationship between self-image and erectile function. Materials and Methods 186 patients who visited our clinic between April 2007 and March 2015 with the chief complaint of late-onset hypogonadism symptoms were enrolled. Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire that included their self-assessed flaccid and erect penile length, self-image of their penile size, SHIM (Sexual Health Inventory for Men) score, and time to ejaculation. All objective penile measurements including stretched length and circumference were performed by the same physician (s). Results The mean self-assessed flaccid and erect penile lengths were 6.8 cm and 12.5 cm, respectively. The mean objectively measured flaccid and stretched penile lengths were 8.3 cm and 12.6 cm, respectively. Most of the patients (71.0%) rated their penis as normal, 27.9% as small, and only 1.1% as large. 28.5% of the patients described their penis as short, and 17.2% as thin. The mean SHIM score of patients who rated their penis as small (7.9) was significantly lower than that of patients who rated their penis as normal (10.5) (p<0.05). The mean time to ejaculation of all patients was 8.7 minutes, and that of the patients with premature ejaculation was 4.6 minutes. Fewer cases (8.6%) desired treatment for penile length, compared to those desiring treatment for ED (31.7%) or premature ejaculation (18.3%). Conclusion Compared with reports from other countries, a high percentage of Japanese patients are dissatisfied with their penile size, and these patients may have a lower self-esteem with respect to their erectile function. Disclosure Work supported by industry: no.