Premature ejaculation--does country of origin tell us anything about etiology?
BACKGROUND
Premature ejaculation is a common sexual problem. The etiology of this condition is unclear. It has been suggested that some racial groups may be more at risk than others. We had a clinical impression that in our unit in London, UK, there was a preponderance of men from Islamic and Asian backgrounds.


OBJECTIVE
We therefore undertook a retrospective analysis of our clinic population over an eighteen-month period.


METHODS
A total of 123 patients were identified with a clinical diagnosis of PE based on the DSM-IV and UK national guidelines.


METHODS
Demographic and clinical data were collected retrospectively: parameters of patients seen in the previous 18 months were identified, including self-identified ethnicity and age. Patient-defined ethnicity was compared with the ethnicity of self-referring patients attending our general sexual health services (outpatients), and also with local population census data.


RESULTS
A total of 60% of patients were from Islamic or Asian backgrounds but 12% and 11% came from those racial groups in local population census data and our general clinic population respectively (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
It thus appears that there is a preponderance of men from Islamic and Asian backgrounds presenting to our unit with premature ejaculation. The reasons for this are unclear. Possible mechanisms include psychosocial, familial, or genetic influences.
Richardson
Daniel
D
Sexual Health, Jefferiss Wing, St Mary's Hospital, London, UK. daniel.richardson@st-marys.nhs.uk
Goldmeier
David
D
D000328:Adult; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003075:Coitus / Q000502:physiology*; D004542:Ejaculation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D007514:Islam / Q000523:psychology; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D013997:Time Factors