title: A Swedish telephone help-line for sexual problems: a 5-year survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Telephone help-lines for people with sexual problems have been established in many European countries during the late decade. They, however, have very different modes of operation, and very few reports focusing on the way they function have been published internationally.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the methods and activities of a Swedish help-line for sexual problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the 5 years, from 1999 to 2003, 27,387 persons called the Swedish toll-free help-line for "impotence and sexual problems" that operates around the clock. The majority of callers appeared to be looking for information on erectile dysfunction. A counseling option staffed by experts in sexual medicine counseled 2,817 (men 73%, women 27%). A further 478 callers were professionals wanting information or advice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among a wide spectrum of problems associated with the callers' sexual life, sexual dysfunctions were the most frequent. Calls about sexual abuse, sexual preference, paraphilias, and other subjects were also received. Among those with sexual dysfunction, 33% of men and 41% of women had more than one sexual dysfunction. These were often concomitant with a frequently drug-treated, medical condition. In addition to counseling, the majority of callers were advised to contact physicians or specialists in sexology/sexual medicine for further help.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Competent person-to-person telephone counseling in the multifaceted bio-psycho-social field of sexual problems requires broad knowledge on sexual medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Sexology Unit, Uppsala University, Sweden. kerstin.fugl-meyer@rehab.uu.se
authors.forename: Kerstin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Fugl-Meyer
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arrhult
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pharmanson
authors.forename: Ann-Charlotte
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bäckman
authors.forename: Ann Mirjam
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fugl-Meyer
authors.forename: Axel R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fugl-Meyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden