PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION AMONG MEN ATTENDING NATUROPATHIC CARE CENTERS IN ASHAIMAN MUNICIPALITY, GHANA

Gabriel Tetteh Accam* and Raphael Nyarkotey Obu

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) has been identified as a prevalent condition globally, with several epidemiological studies revealing its widespread occurrence. This study aims to assess the prevalence, determinants, and the use of naturopathic treatments for ED among individuals attending naturopathic health centers in Ashaiman Municipality, Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed to estimate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in naturopathic health centers. Participants aged 20 years and older were selected through simple random and purposive sampling, resulting in 250 respondents. Data were collected to analyze the relationship between ED and various potential determinants, as well as the naturopathic treatment approaches utilized. Results: The prevalence of ED among respondents was 80%, with the highest prevalence observed in the 20-40 years age group (48%). Key determinants associated with ED included age, financial challenges, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, history of prostate and hormonal disturbances, alcohol abuse, and stress (p-value < 0.05). Despite challenges such as nausea and affordability, a majority of respondents opted for naturopathic treatments. The naturopathic approaches employed included dietary adjustments, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, botanical medicine, and acupuncture. Conclusion: The study found that 80% of the respondents reported experiencing erectile dysfunction. Contributing factors included financial difficulties, unemployment, chronic conditions such as hypertension, hormonal imbalances, prostate disturbances, elevated cholesterol, stress, and alcohol abuse. Naturopathic interventions, particularly diet, nutrition, homeopathy, botanical remedies, and acupuncture, were beneficial in improving the condition of the participants.