Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the persistent inability to achieve and/or maintain penile erection sufficient for performing sexual intercourse. In addition to its relationship with both psychological and physical conditions, ED also adversely affects the quality of life.
Furthermore, ED is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), even among clinically depressed men. Additionally, having a low testosterone level is likewise considered to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease among men with ED.
Past studies have shown the prevalence and patient‐reported outcomes associated with erectile dysfunction (ED), suggesting that the impact of ED on work productivity loss remains limited, globally. With the average age of ED men inclining more youthful lately, implications of ED in the workplace become significant.
Now, a study on the more than 52,000 men from eight countries- suggests that erectile dysfunction (ED) was linked with loss of work productivity and with lower health-related quality of life.
The study involved men aged between 40 to 70 years in Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Men with ED reported fundamentally higher rates of staying at home from work (7.1% versus 3.2%), working while sick (22.5% versus 10.1%), work profitability impairment (24.8% versus 11.2%), and activity impairment (28.6% versus 14.5%) than men without ED. They additionally had lower proportions of health-related quality of life.
Co-author Wing Yu Tang, of Pfizer Inc, said, “This study shows that ED remains a prevalent concern, one that impacts work productivity and absenteeism.”
Senior author Tarek Hassan, also of Pfizer Inc said, “Stemming from eight countries, the global coverage of the data also suggests that this issue is pervasive across geographies.”
The study is published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice.