Erectile dysfunction and associated factors among patients with diabetes in Public hospitals of Harari region, Eastern Ethiopia: modified poisson regression model.

Background: Erectile dysfunction is a common problem among patients with diabetes, often going undiagnosed and having a significant negative impact on their health. This condition necessitates accurate evaluation and early intervention. However, there is an inconsistent explanation of factors and limited evidence on the prevalence of erectile dysfunction among patients with diabetes in eastern Ethiopia. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of erectile dysfunction and its associated factors among patients with diabetes in public hospitals in the Harari Region, eastern Ethiopia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 339 randomly selected participants. Data were collected using the Kobo Toolbox with standardized questionnaires administered by interviewers, along with a review of the patients' medical records. Data analysis was performed using Stata version 14. The Poisson regression model with robust variance estimate was fitted to examine the association of the independent variables and erectile dysfunction. An adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) with 95% confidence intervals was reported. Statistical significance was declared at the p-value < 0.05.

Result: The prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 78.28% (95% CI 73-83). Age 35-45 years [APR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.03-1.84], and > 45 years [APR = 1.58; 95% CI 1.17-2.13], depression [APR = 1.41; 95% CI 1.06-1.86], current khat use [APR = 1.14; 95% CI 1.00-1.28], low social support [APR = 1.70; 95% CI 1.09-2.65] and medium social support [APR = 1.79; 95% CI 1.16-2.78] were factors significantly associated with erectile dysfunction.

Conclusions: More than three-fourths of the participants had erectile dysfunction. Significant factors associated with erectile dysfunction included age 35 years and above, depression, current hat use, and low and medium social support level. The management of erectile dysfunction should be integrated into routine medical care in diabetic follow-up clinics, with special attention for those participants aged 35 years and above, who have depression, currently use Khat, and have low-level social support.