by Jessica Firger
Excessive pornography viewing is likely to contribute to a risk of
sexual dysfunction in men, but not women, according to new research. A
panel discussion and presentation held on Friday at the 112th Annual
Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association highlights
results from surveys conducted on men and women about pornography
viewing habits and the long-term effects on sexual health and intimate
behavior.
The presentation was based on two surveys. In one, researchers
administered self-reported questionnaires to women aged 20 to 40 who
were patients at a military urology clinic. A majority of the women who
took part in the survey were white, married, heterosexual and on active
military duty. Roughly 40 percent of women who participated claimed to
use pornography at least occasionally, with a quarter reporting to use
it less than once weekly.
The findings of the accompanying study on men raised more concern.
Through surveys administered to 312 male patients of the same age group
(also mostly white, married and heterosexual), the researchers found a
close correlation between excessive pornography use and sexual
dysfunction. Roughly 20 percent of men reported using porn three to five
times weekly. Nearly 4 percent of men reported they preferred
masturbating to pornography over having sexual intercourse with a
partner. The researchers also recognized a correlation between men who
used pornography frequently and those who reported lack of sexual desire
and intercourse satisfaction, as well as erectile dysfunction.
The two surveys also shed light on how both men and women are
choosing to consume pornography online. In both surveys, more than half
of study participants (55 percent of women and 62 percent of men) said
they viewed porn on their smartphone.
by Jessica Firger
