Prevalence of premature ejaculation and its associated factors among men attending government health clinics in Kuantan, Pahang

Introduction: Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common sexual dysfunction affecting men globally, often under-diagnosed and untreated. Its prevalence varies across different socio-cultural and geographical settings. The study objective to determine the prevalence of PE and its associated factors among men attending health clinics in Kuantan, Pahang. Methods: A six-month cross-sectional study (March 2023 – August 2023) was conducted at twelve health clinics in Kuantan, Pahang. The selected respondents were sexually active men over 18 years old, excluding those with psychiatric illness or illiteracy. Data were collected using questionnaires on sociodemographic, medical history, the validated Malay version Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Test (PEDT), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). PE was defined as a PEDT score above 9. Descriptive analysis and simple and multiple logistic regression were performed using SPSS. Results: Out of 300 eligible men, 287 responded (95.7% response rate). The prevalence of PE was 32.4% (n=93), with 17.8% (n=5) classified as probable PE and 14.6% (n=42) as PE. Logistic regression showed statistically significant associations of PE with stress [AOR (95% CI): 3.83 (1.33 – 11.00); p-value = 0.013] and anxiety [AOR (95% CI): 2.60 (1.29 – 5.25); p-value = 0.008]. Conclusion: The study revealed a high incidence of PE among men, potentially linked to stress and anxiety. Raising awareness among the public and healthcare providers could improve detection rates in primary care. Therefore, routine PE screening is recommended for men attending health clinics as well as for those exhibiting stress and anxiety. Such measures would facilitate early diagnosis and treatments.