Over a Quarter of Australians Suffer from Erectile Dysfunction

We've always thought of people from Down Under as being carefree and with a positive out look to life. There could be more stresses beneath that carefree exterior than we know. A new survey, shows that a huge percentage of Australian men suffer form some level of erectile dysfunction. According to the survey, the number of Australian men who suffer from erectile dysfunction is as high as 25% of the population. This means that approximately 1 in 4 Australians has problems maintaining an erection.

The survey was conducted by Kew-Kin Chew from Western Australia's Keogh Institute Of Medical Research. It surveyed a total of 1500 men who were selected at random from the electoral rolls in the country. The men were aged 20 and above. At the end of the study, researchers found that 25.1% of the subjects suffered from erectile dysfunction. Of these, the population that suffered from severe forms of the condition was 8.5%.

The prevalence of erectile dysfunction as well as severity seemed to increase with age. At least 38% of the subjects who experienced the condition were either married or in stable relationships. There was found to be no difference in the prevalence of the condition between those who worked in white collar jobs and blue collar jobs.

These are alarming numbers, and according to Kew-Kin Chew and his team, it's very likely that the results could be applied to the general population across the country. The study also found that most of the men who are found to have erectile dysfunction had been suffering the condition for more than a year. But just 14.1% of the subjects confirmed that they had sought any kind of treatment for the condition.

The researchers have concluded that erectile dysfunction is highly prevalent in the population in Western Australia. It also remains a largely under diagnosed condition, and is also under treated. Although erectile dysfunction is prevalent in older men, it is also becoming coming widely prevalent in men who are in their 20s. The situation is particularly bothersome because the young men who suffer from this condition tend to remain silent, and avoid seeking medical opinion.

Erectile dysfunction is a treatable condition, and there are treatment methods in the form of medications like Viagra and Cialis that have been found to benefit most people. The findings in Western Australia seem to echo those in much of the world when it comes to the reluctance of men to seek treatment for erectile dysfunction. Treatment is not just effective, but also easily available and safe for use.

What is causing young men in Western Australia to develop erectile dysfunction at such an early age? The researchers point out several causes, including the fact that the young men may be under various kinds of stresses associated with early adulthood. They could be in the process of building new relationships, and there were also the new responsibilities placed on them as they sought employment in the work force. Men in their early 20s are likely to begin living as independent adults, and this places increased stress on them. All these factors combined to create ripe conditions for the presence of erectile dysfunction.

No matter what the cause, these findings are disturbing when you consider that the Australian population is ageing rapidly - health workers need to be more proactive about encouraging men to seek treatment for their condition.

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