Why is that patients with sexual difficulties do not consult a doctor more frequently? The results of a French survey by the French association for the development of information and research in the field of sexology (ADIRS)

SummaryThere are a large number of men suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) who are not receiving medical attention. This is very surprising in a country such as France where access to medical care is easy and extensive, and at a time where there are many different treatments available. The French association for the development of information and research in the field of sexology (ADIRS) conducted two surveys across associations of patients suffering from chronic pathologies: diabetes and respiratory failure. More than 65% of patients reported a need for help in this area; only 13% of them thought that this aspect was managed well by the medical team. Two other surveys, one quantitative and the other qualitative, were conducted by the Lilly laboratories; they concluded that the reasons for refusal of treatment could be divided into five categories: refusal of something that is not natural (43%), fear of side effects (31%), fear of becoming reliant on the treatment (11.6%), a certain mistrust (8.7%), and finally lack of efficacy (8%). In addition, these surveys identified three patient profiles: fatalistic patients (less than 1 in 10), uninformed patients (approximately 3 in 10), and hesitating patients (about 6 in 10). Better access to medical information and more extensive communication on the subject of sexuality and its disorders can help in preventing patients from simply accepting the onset of a sexual difficulty with fatalism. There are still a lot of false preconceived ideas around that will hinder the adoption or continuation of a treatment.