Questioned as part of a national survey of 1,000 men, the results reveal both a medical and psychological reality. A reality where the difficulty of talking about it delays care, weakens self-esteem and maintains a vicious circle that is still difficult to break.
A common disorder, far from age stereotypes
First lesson from the study: erectile dysfunction is not a marginal phenomenon, nor exclusively linked to aging.
According to the data collected, 38% of men say they have already experienced erectile problems. A proportion that goes far beyond usual representations and crosses all generations. The youngest are not spared: around a third of 18-34 year olds say they are concerned.
Another popular belief that has been challenged: that of a rare or old disorder. For many, this is a recent or continuing reality. Nearly 60% of the men concerned say they have encountered difficulties in the last six months.
Behind these figures, one constant: the disorder exists, but it remains difficult to name. And it is precisely this silence that amplifies its impact.
Between performance and doubt: the invisible pressure of everyday life
What the study particularly highlights is less the frequency of the disorder than its psychological weight.
Thus, 92% of the men concerned report an impact on their self-confidence. Data which says something broader: male sexuality remains strongly linked to a form of performance demands, often internalized.
In this context, doubt does not remain confined to the intimate sphere. It spills over into everyday life, into behavior, sometimes even into professional or relational choices. Some men avoid sex for fear of “failure”, others withdraw, minimize their difficulties or isolate themselves. The study also shows that more than half of the men surveyed have already avoided or dreaded sexual intercourse for fear of not having a sufficient erection.
A phenomenon that is all the more complex because it is self-perpetuating: the fear of failure feeds the failure itself, setting up a spiral that is difficult to break without support.
The weight of silence: when consulting becomes an obstacle in itself
This is perhaps where one of the major public health issues comes into play.
Despite the frequency of the disorder, 58% of affected men have never consulted a doctor. And among them, the reasons are rarely medical. They are above all emotional: embarrassment, embarrassment, trivialization of the problem or expectation of a spontaneous resolution.
The obstacles most often cited are explicit:
- Embarrassment or embarrassment (44%);
- The idea that “this is normal with age” (38%);
- The hope that the problem will disappear on its own (27%).
This failure to seek care has concrete consequences: nearly one in four men already hide or minimize a sexual health problem from their doctor. And even when the consultation takes place, the subject remains difficult to broach. In a large majority of cases, it is the patient himself who must initiate the discussion, a sign of a taboo still very present in medical dialogue.
Time, too, works against treatment: many men wait several months, sometimes more than a year, before consulting.
A global health issue that is still underestimated
Beyond the intimate sphere, erectile dysfunction cannot be reduced to an isolated sexual difficulty.
Experts point out that they can sometimes constitute an early signal of cardiovascular or metabolic problems. A reality that is still insufficiently known, even though blood circulation plays a central role in the erection mechanism.
For Dr Sam Ward, urologist and associate medical director at Kano.care, the observation is clear: it is not just a functional disorder, but a potential indicator of overall health, often ignored through lack of words.
In the study, another dimension appears: that of ignorance. A significant portion of men underestimate the real prevalence of the disorder and poorly understand its causes, between stress, vascular factors and lifestyle.
Open the floor to break the circle of silence
As the results progress, an idea emerges: the main obstacle is not the absence of solutions, but the absence of words.
This silence fuels isolation, delays consultations and weakens care. It transforms a frequent disorder into an individual experience experienced as exceptional.
For the healthcare professionals interviewed in the study, the challenge is now clear: trivialize the subject without minimizing it, encourage speaking out and integrate sexual health into overall patient monitoring.
Because behind the numbers, there are ordinary lives, often silent. And a simple but essential reality: these difficulties say nothing about the value or the virility of the men concerned, but a lot about the way in which society continues – or not – to talk about sexual health.
As the word becomes clearer, another question emerges: how can we transform this awareness into a true culture of prevention, where sexual health would finally be considered as an integral component of overall health? An evolution which, for many, still remains to be built.