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AUA 2017

AUA 2017: Results Vary By Gender on Whether Pornography Use Leads to Sexual Dysfunction

Boston, MA, May 12, 2017—Boston, MA, May 12, 2017 – New survey results show outcomes vary by gender regarding the degree of pornography use and sexual dysfunction. These will be presented during the 112th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) on Friday, May 12 at 11:00 a.m. The press session will be moderated by Joseph Alukal, MD, AUA spokesperson and associate professor of urology and obstetrics/gynecology, as well as director of male reproductive health at New York University, New York, NY.

Sexual dysfunction has a significant impact on one’s quality of life and occurs when there is a problem preventing an individual from wanting or enjoying sexual activity. The use of pornography among females and its impact on sexual dysfunction is poorly described. Similarly, the impact of pornography use in evaluating males with sexual dysfunction is not well examined. Two separate surveys were conducted to better define pornography use and any contribution to sexual dysfunction in women and men.

Survey of Sexual Function and Pornography in Females (#PD44-11): In a sample of women ages 20-40, less than 40 percent reported use of pornography; however, there does not appear to be any correlation between its use and female sexual dysfunction. Additional results showed:

• The majority (61 percent) of respondents stated they did not use pornography
• Of those who did use pornography, 25 percent used it less than weekly
• The primary access was internet (68 percent) and smart phone (55 percent)

Survey of Sexual Function and Pornography (#PD69-12): In evaluating men with sexual dysfunction ages 20-40, there appears to be a correlation between pornography use and sexual dysfunction in those who report a preference for masturbation to pornography (3.4 percent) rather than sexual intercourse, with or without pornography (96.6 percent). The typical media for viewing pornography was internet (72.3 percent) and smart phone (62.3 percent). The male survey also reported the weekly frequency of pornography use:

• 25.9 percent indicated less than weekly
• 24.6 percent indicated 1-2 times a week
• 21.3 percent indicated 3-5 times a week
• 5.0 percent indicated 6-10 times a week
• 4.3 percent indicated greater than 11 times a week

“Visual stimulation will often increase sexual arousal in both men and women, but when the majority of their time is spent viewing and masturbating to pornography, it is likely they will become less interested in real-world sexual encounters,” said Dr. Alukal. “These studies suggest the issue may be trivial in women, but not so for men, and could lead to sexual dysfunction. Sex is half in your body and half in your head and it may not be a physical component driving the behavior, but a psychological one. For this reason, it’s important for physicians to understand the underlying issues leading to the sexual dysfunction prior to suggesting treatment options.