The Relationship Between Sexual Function and Health-Related Quality of Life in Healthy Japanese Men

抄録

Background Human dry dock (Ningen Dock) permits not only the early detection of lifestyle related disease but also the promotion of health and the quality of life (QOL). Although sexual function is an important factor in a person's QOL, discussion of this topic is still taboo in Japan. This study was conducted to determine the rate of male sexual function in Japan and to investigate whether any association exists between sexual function and the health-related QOL.
Methods A self-administrated questionnaire assessing sexual function, aging male symptoms and health-related QOL factors was given to 4389 clients, all adult males ranging in age from 20 to 89 years, at six health care centers in Japan between June and August,2002. We evaluated sexual function using the 5-item index of sexual function (SF5) questionnaire, modified from the Sapporo Medical University sexual function questionnaire. Of the 4389 subjects,2909 (66.3%) completed the questionnaire.
Results Scores on the SF 5 decreased as age increased (p<0.0001). However, the aging male symptoms (AMS) score was constant (p=0.9815) across all age groups. The AMS scores also increased as the SF5scores decreased. Also scores on factors such as “general health condition”, “satisfaction with partner”, “satisfaction with home life”, and “satisfaction with life in general” decreased as the SF5 score decreased.
Conclusions Sexual function correlated with aging male symptoms and health-related QOL factors, suggesting that human dry dock should offer support to men with sexual dysfunction to promote QOL. Additionally, the use of the SF5 as an index for sexual function is recommended for general health screening tests.