Objectives: To determine the effects of erectile dysfunction and to explore the impact of treatment with sildenafil (Viagra).
Design: An exploratory qualitative study with semistructured interviews.
Setting: Men's health clinic in NHS hospital.
Participants: 40 men who had had erectile dysfunction and had attended the clinic during the year before interview.
Main outcome measures: Impact of erectile dysfunction on men, their expectations of sildenafil, and impact of treatment on men and their relationships. Issues explored with exploratory qualitative approach.
Results: Erectile dysfunction caused serious distress to all those men who experienced it, with marked effects on their self esteem and their relationships. Sildenafil, when it worked, caused a great improvement in wellbeing. The expectations raised by media hyperbole with the launch of sildenafil had an adverse effect on the morale of those who found it did not work. When, according to the patient, treatment did not work, the distress was severe and for many confirmed their lack of self worth.
Conclusions: Further study is needed to explore the feelings of men affected by erectile dysfunction and their perception of treatment. Health professionals should be aware of the extreme distress erectile dysfunction can cause.