What does this research mean for the field?

Erectile dysfunction is frequently under-assessed and under-managed in primary care settings due to provider barriers, poor guideline adherence, and premature referrals. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This review aims to evaluate how well primary care management of erectile dysfunction aligns with established guidelines and identifies barriers contributing to underdiagnosis and undertreatment.

June 3, 2026Sexual MedicineOpen Access

Erectile dysfunction in primary care: practice patterns, barriers, and opportunities—narrative review

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Authors

HSHossein SaadatNOSM University MPMichael L. PianezzaNOSM University DEDean EltermanUniversity of Toronto

Discussion

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Implication

Narrative review assesses management gaps of erectile dysfunction in primary care, suggesting improvement opportunities.

Key Points

This review aims to evaluate how well primary care management of erectile dysfunction aligns with established guidelines and identifies barriers contributing to underdiagnosis and undertreatment.
Comprehensive literature search in PubMed, MEDLINE, TRIP, and Google Scholar for relevant studies from January 2001 to December 2024.
Inclusion criteria focused on primary healthcare providers' practices regarding ED assessment and management, along with barriers faced.
Eleven studies were reviewed, including cross-sectional surveys, qualitative focus groups, and referral audits.
Active discussion of erectile dysfunction occurred in only 10% to 38% of patient encounters.
Key barriers identified include limited training, time constraints, embarrassment, and unclear clinical roles for providers.
Referral audits indicated that 26% to 37% of patients could have been managed directly in primary care settings.

Cite This Study

Saadat et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a1fc4e4dee9eb8c0dce6530 https://doi.org/10.1093/sexmed/qfag033

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Erectile dysfunction in primary care: practice patterns, barriers, and opportunities—narrative review

Discussion

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Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Erectile dysfunction in primary care: practice patterns, barriers, and opportunities—narrative review

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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