Motivations for seeking treatment for ED: the woman's perspective

Transition Stages in Adjustment of Wives With Their Husbands’ Erectile Dysfunction

Background:

No study has been conducted yet on the process of adjustment of wives with their husbands’ erectile dysfunction in the transitional stages, and there is lack of understanding of this process in Iran.

Objectives:

A qualitative, grounded-theory study was designed to examine the process of adjustment of wives with their husbands’ erectile dysfunction in transitional stages.

Materials and Methods:

Purposive sampling was carried out in Tehran, Iran. Data collection occurred until the theoretical saturation was reached. A total of 16 semi structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 woman participants. The constant comparative method of data analysis was used.

Results:

The women were 29-53 years old and duration of marriage was 2-40 years. They had different educational status ranging from Illiterate to Master’s degree. The present study showed the process of adjustment of wives with husbands’ erectile dysfunction in categories of husband broken role, ups and downs in woman’s sexual life, passing through failure, and end of transition. Following erectile dysfunction (event) and the man’s reaction, broken role occurs (change). In response to this change, reactions due to loss of intimacy occur in the ups and downs of woman’s life. Some women, unable to get through the failure, continue low quality life with sexual and communicational problems (limbo). By the end of transition, some women manage to overcome this unpleasant state of limbo, and begin to experience a new life, with increased intimacy, with or without sexual intercourse (new beginning).

Conclusions:

If the process of transitional adjustment occurs in women, it will be effective in improving the relationship and increased intimacy, even sexual intimacy. With this understanding, better counseling and therapeutic interventions can be planned for these couples.

Changes in sexual inhibition and excitation during PDE5I therapy

The aim of this longitudinal study was to assess possible changes in sexual inhibition and excitation (measured using the Sexual Inhibition and Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES)) in men being treated with PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5I) for ED. Established PDE5I users diagnosed with psychogenic ED completed the SES/SIS questionnaire at recruitment and 3 months later. On the basis of International Index of Erectile Function scores at recruitment, subjects were divided into two groups - mildly affected (M) and mild-to-moderately affected (MM). SES scores were significantly lower, and SIS1 scores were significantly higher in Group MM at recruitment and at 3 months (P<0.001). In Group M, SES scores increased (P<0.005) and SIS1 (P<0.001) and SIS2 (P=0.01) scores decreased over the 3 months of the study. In Group MM, ongoing decreases in SES and increases in SIS1 scores were observed (P<0.001). The results of multiple linear regression showed that SIS/SES variables were of little value in predicting erectile function (EF) at recruitment, or changes in EF during the study period. The results for Group M showed that men whose EF scores increased were more likely to experience increased SIS2 and decreased SES scores.