Rugby Ambassadors and 'Sex of the Nations' Survey Help Highlight Common Sexual Dysfunction Among 1 in 5 Men[1]
16 Jan, 2014, 14:04 GMT
LONDON, January 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
International rugby players Danny Care (England), Sean Maitland (British Lions and Scotland) and Dan Biggar (Wales) have teamed up with Menarini to encourage health and sexual wellbeing amongst men and their partners. Results from a recent Sex of the Nations survey - investigating differences in sexual attitudes across the home nations - highlights that there is low awareness of how common sexual dysfunction is:
- Nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents thought that premature ejaculation (ejaculation of less than one to two minutes[2]) only affected one in ten men,[3] when in reality this figure is twice as high (up to one in five men are affected)[1]
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140116/663718 )
As well as low awareness of how common premature ejaculation is, there is also uncertainty as to how long men should take to climax during sexual intercourse:
- More than one fifth (22%) of respondents thought that the average time was over ten minutes,[3] whereas clinical studies indicate that in a 'normal' population (i.e. men not experiencing premature ejaculation) it is actually approx. five and a half minutes[4]
Sex of the Nations data reveals that this unrealistic expectation of sex impacts perceptions of satisfaction:
- England is the least satisfied nation, with only 54% of respondents satisfied with their sexual performance (vs. approx. 60% in Wales and Scotland)[3]
- Across all nations, over one fifth (22%) of respondents wanted sex to last longer[3]
"Premature ejaculation is a high impact condition and, for some people, can lead to feelings of frustration and disappointment. It can have a real negative impact on quality of life for men and their partners," explains Martin Tod, Chief Executive of the Men's Health Forum. "It is also more common than people think and men should not feel embarrassed to do something about it. It's good to see initiatives like Sex of the Nations, particularly if they can help break the taboo associated with sexual dysfunction. Help is available from your GP and there is no need to suffer in silence."
Despite sexual dysfunction being relatively common, Sex of the Nations survey results indicate that only 13% have ever spoken to a GP about their (or their partner's) sexual wellbeing, with England, Scotland and Wales being the least likely to discuss sex with their doctor.[3]
"We're proud to support the Sex of the Nations initiative and hope that it will encourage people to talk more openly about sex," commented the rugby ambassadors. "Men in particular are often too embarrassed to talk about their health problems or visit their doctor. We hope that we can help overcome this and raise awareness of sexual wellbeing."
The Sex of the Nations survey is aimed at highlighting 'Firing Too Quickly' - a new campaign designed to raise awareness of premature ejaculation, the most common male sexual dysfunction[5] - launched today by A. Menarini Farmaceutica Internazionale SRL. In an innovative step for Pharma, nationwide cinema advertising is being undertaken, with information and support provided on the campaign website. Men (and their partners) are encouraged to visit their healthcare professional to discuss the various treatment options available.
"We are delighted to launch Firing Too Quickly and hope to support men (and their partners) in the management of premature ejaculation," commented Marco Bernocchi, General Manager, A. Menarini Farmaceutica Internazionale SRL. "We are committed to providing healthcare solutions to enhance the lives of patients worldwide, and will continue to support healthcare professionals and patients in the field of men's sexual health in the immediate future."
For further information please visit http://www.firingtooquickly.co.uk
Notes for Editors
Premature ejaculation
The definition of premature ejaculation varies but the condition is characterised by uncontrolled ejaculation which occurs with minimal sexual stimulation. Premature ejaculation can be defined as ejaculating before or during sexual intercourse to the detriment of you or your partner and can have a significant impact on relationships.[6]
The condition can also be defined using the intra-vaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT), which measures the time taken to climax upon penetration; an IELT of less than one to two minutes characterises premature ejaculation.[2] This compares to a median IELT of almost five and a half minutes in the 'normal' population (i.e. men not experiencing premature ejaculation).[4]
Premature ejaculation is the most common male sexual dysfunction,[5] with more than one in five men affected,[1] and is more common than erectile dysfunction.[7] Premature ejaculation is not dependent on age and is consistent across all age groups.[7]
The exact cause of premature ejaculation is unknown. Like other physical conditions, there may be a psychological component.[5] Premature ejaculation also involves a physical component centred around neurotransmission and experts believe it is caused by a chemical imbalance of serotonin in the body.[1]
In everyday clinical practice, using a self-estimated IELT is sufficient (rather than stopwatch measured as in clinical trials), although there are also several questionnaires that have been developed in order for healthcare professionals to assess premature ejaculation objectively. A physical examination is also part of the initial assessment of men with premature ejaculation in order to assess the vascular, endocrine and neurological systems to identify any underlying medical conditions that are associated with premature ejaculation or other sexual dysfunctions.[2]
Additional sources of support
Men's Health Forum http://www.menshealthforum.org.uk
Sexual Advice Association http://www.sda.uk.net
Relate http://www.relate.org.uk
Sex of the Nations survey
Menarini commissioned an online survey of 6,041 adults (mix of male and female) aged 18 years and over from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy, to investigate differences in sexual attitudes across the home nations. The research was conducted by Opinion Matters, an independent market research company, between 15/11/2013 and 03/12/2013.
Menarini Group
Menarini is an international pharmaceutical company which, with a 2011 consolidated worldwide turnover of more than 3 billion Euro, ranks 17th in Europe and 34th world-wide.
Menarini's territorial presence covers more than 100 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and Latin America, with 15.000 headcount. Menarini was founded 125 years ago and currently markets products in the main therapeutic areas: respiratory, cardiovascular, gastroenterology, oncology, metabolism, antibiotics, diabetes, anti-inflammatories, analgesics and men's sexual health. The Menarini Group has always pursued two strategic objectives: Research and Internationalisation, both of which have allowed it to achieve outstanding results in today's global market and invest in the research of innovative drugs, making them available to patients all around the world.
For further details, please see http://www.menarini.com.
References
- Pryor, The Lancet 2006; 385: 929-937
- Wespes, Guidelines on Male Sexual Dysfunction: Erectile Dysfunction and Premature Ejaculation. Update March 2009
- Sex of the Nations survey, December 2013, Data on file
- Waldinger, Journal of Sexual Medicine 2005; 2: 492-497
- Hellstrom, International Journal of Clinical Practice 2011; 65: 16-25
- Mohee, Therapeutic Advances Urology 2011; 3: 211-222
- Hatzimouratidis, European Urology 2010; 57: 804-814
Contact for media enquiries
Tonic Life Communications
Hannah Macgregor - +44-(0)7817227-954
Henry Stanley or Maria Simson - +44-(0)20-7798-9900
menarini@toniclc.com
Date of preparation January 2014
4967/PRI/DEC/2013/STH
SOURCE A. Menarini Farmaceutica Internazionale SRL