Sexual health is a big concern for men, survey finds

When it comes to men's health as they age, a survey from Cleveland Clinic has found that sexual health is a big concern.

Of those polled, 44% are worried about erectile dysfunction, 39% with loss of sex drive and 36% with low testosterone.

"I think that this is something men realize can change with age, and many men may not realize that it can happen to men of all ages," said Petar Bajic, MD, urologist for Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Bajic said the survey had some other interesting findings as well, like more than half of men, about 58%, incorrectly think low testosterone is the most common cause of erectile dysfunction.

"In fact, [for] most men who have erectile dysfunction, particularly over age 50, it's much more likely to be a consequence of cardiovascular disease, like hardening and narrowing of the arteries," he said. "It can be due to diabetes and all sorts of different things. A relatively small percentage of men have low testosterone as the primary cause of their sexual issues."

In addition, the majority of men polled incorrectly believe that they are more likely to get prostate cancer compared to any other cancer.

"Prostate cancer is very prevalent, but there are a number of other cancers that are also very common," he explained.

Dr. Bajic said this is why it's so important for men to go in for routine checkups, which the survey shows they are not doing. Of those polled, 55% said they don't get regular health screenings.

"Men across the board need to take better care of their health. They tend to be more reactive when issues arise and maybe less proactive, so by getting routine health screenings, by really understanding your health status, things can be detected earlier on," he said.

Dr. Bajic said it's also important for men to know their family history.

The survey found 77% don't know their family history when it comes to urological issues and 64% don't know their family history when it comes to cancers.