Love's labour's lost

Erectile dysfunction (previously referred to as erectile impotence) is a common complication of diabetes in men. It is reported that between 35% and 50% of all men with diabetes will experience an episode of erectile dysfunction at some time in their life. At age 60 the prevalence of the problem increases to 60%.1

Despite this, health care professionals appear reluctant to ask men with diabetes about their erectile status.2 In my experience, which covers 40 years as a man with diabetes and 22 two years as a health professional involved in the diabetes specialty, very few health care professionals feel able to discuss such intimate issues.

Whether it is due to the fact that the health care professional is embarrassed to delve into such personal health matters, or rather to avoid embarrassment on the part of the person with diabetes, is unclear. With such a plethora of treatments available, I consider the attitude ‘We don't ask because we don't want to know’ indefensible.

The following is a report of the Janet Kinson Lecture 2004, given at the Annual Professional Conference of Diabetes UK at the International Conference Centre, Birmingham in March this year, in an attempt to encourage health care professionals to ask the man with diabetes about his erectile status. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.