Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 May;8(3):671-679.
doi: 10.1111/andr.12759. Epub 2020 Jan 29.

The physician's gender influences the results of the diagnostic workup for erectile dysfunction

Giulia Rastrelli  1 , Sarah Cipriani  1 , Andrea Craparo  2   3 , Sara De Vincentis  2   3 , Antonio R M Granata  3 , Giorgia Spaggiari  3 , Manuela Simoni  2   3 , Mario Maggi  1 , Daniele Santi  2   3
Affiliations
Free article

The physician's gender influences the results of the diagnostic workup for erectile dysfunction

Giulia Rastrelli et al. Andrology. 2020 May.
Free article

Abstract

Background: Despite the well-known influence of psychological and situational factors on erectile dysfunction, the influence of the physician's gender on the andrological workup has never been investigated so far.

Objectives: To investigate physician's gender influence on the erectile dysfunction diagnostic workup.

Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection. We evaluate a consecutive series of erectile dysfunction patients: 95 at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE) and 1808 at the University of Florence (UNIFI). In the UNIMORE cohort (Cohort 1), intracavernousal injection test was performed in case of suspected vascular pathogenic component. In the UNIFI cohort (Cohort 2), patients were evaluated by structured interview on erectile dysfunction and ANDROTEST. Both cohorts were divided into two groups according to the gender of the physician who performed the intracavernousal injection test or the structured interview.

Results: In Cohort 1, patients who had the intracavernousal injection test performed by a female physician had a significantly higher probability of obtaining a better intracavernousal injection test response. In Cohort 2, patients interviewed by female physician more frequently reported to have a conflictual couple relationship and a reduced frequency of climax in their partners. However, they reported less difficulties in achieving and maintaining erection, higher frequency of autoeroticism, lower occurrence of erectile dysfunction during masturbation and lower impairment in morning erections.

Conclusions: Physician's gender affects the results obtained during the erectile dysfunction diagnostic workup. Men interviewed by a female physician describe a less severe erectile dysfunction probably as attempt to defend their own virility. On the other hand, the presence of a male physician during intracavernousal injection test is associated to a worse response suggesting a possible unconscious competition.

Keywords: Physician gender; erectile dysfunction; intracavernousal injection; structured interview of erectile function.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Corona G, Lee DM, Forti G, et al. Age-related changes in general and sexual health in middle-aged and older men: results from the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS). J Sex Med. 2010;7:1362-1380.
    1. Laumann EO, Paik A, Rosen RC. Sexual dysfunction in the United States: prevalence and predictors. JAMA. 1999;281:537-544.
    1. Kubin M, Wagner G, Fugl-Meyer AR. Epidemiology of erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res. 2003;15:63-71.
    1. Perelman M, Shabsigh R, Seftel A, Althof S, Lockhart D. Attitudes of men with erectile dysfunction: a cross-national survey. J Sex Med. 2005;2:397-406.
    1. Burnett AL, Nehra A, Breau RH, et al. Erectile dysfunction: AUA guideline. J Urol. 2018;200:633-641.

LinkOut - more resources