Why men are interested in an evaluation for a sexual problem.

OBJECTIVE

To understand why men were interested in an evaluation of a perceived sexual problem.

DESIGN

Survey.

SETTING

Tertiary-referral VA Medical Center in Southeast Atlantic Region.

PARTICIPANTS

Respondents from a 3% random sample of male veterans age 30-99 registered at a VA medical center with completed survey data (n = 427).

MEASUREMENTS

A cross-sectional mailed survey. Independent variables included survey data related to emotional state, physical state, and/or demographic characteristics (marital status, race, and age). The dependent variable was interest in evaluation of a sexual problem.

MAIN RESULTS

Measures of erectile function, libido, and orgasm, when entered sequentially as separate functional sets in a logistic regression analysis, have a statistically significant (P < 0.05) influence on interest in an evaluation of a sexual problem. After controlling for sexual function and emotional state, physical state did not add to predicting interest in an evaluation for a sexual problem. After controlling for all other covariates, those who were never married, non-white, and elderly were less interested in an evaluation for a sexual problem (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Age, race, and marital status, in addition to sexual function, influence male veterans' interest in seeking clinical assessment for a sexual problem.