Diffusion of Expert Language Related to Erectile

(Dys)Function: Focus Group Study of Slovak Middle Aged

Men

Rado MASARYK, School of Education Comenius University Bratislava

Magda PETRJÁNOŠOVÁ, School of Arts Comenius University Bratislava

Why erectile dysfunction? Arrival of oral treatment – breakthrough in

sexology, campaigns by pharmaceutical companies

New paradigm in medicine – healing pain vs. improving quality of life

Charging perception of erectile function

Issues regarding erection and male identity

Initial observation 1 – jokes that exaggerate effects of Viagra

Initial observation 2 – Real men don't need Viagra

Theoretical sources

Evolutionary paradigm Margaret Mead – social interactions and

culture Elain Morgan – alternative evolutionary

theory Michel Foucault - historical,

social and cultural discourses Feminist authors

Erectile dysfunction - expert definition

National Institutes of Health Conference (1992) replaced the hitherto used term “impotence” with the aim of eliminating pejorative implications

Defines it as “inability of the male to achieve an erect penis as part of the overall multifaceted process of male sexual function”

However, „its various aspects remain poorly understood by the general population and by most health care professionals“

More expert knowledge...

Belongs to the most common sexual dysfunctions in males (Wagner & Saenz de Tejada, 1998)

Its prevalence in the group of men aged 40 to 70 years is estimated at 52% (Feldman et al., 1994)

Only 10% of men seek medical help (ISIR/MORI International Survey on Men’s Attitudes toward ED,1998)

The research - methodological framework

Serge Moscovici (2001) – concepts of anchoring and objectification

Denise Jodelet (1989/1991) - expert knowledge on psychiatric conditions vs. practical thinking of people about „the mad“

Research method

Principal method• 8 Focus Groups (FG)

• Questionnaires

• Total number of participants N=70 Average age was 49 (40 to 64) 6 largest cities of Slovakia Semistructured scenarios Transcript of discussions Manual coding and Atlas.ti

Diffusion of Expert Language Related to Erectile

(Dys)Function: Focus Group Study of Slovak Middle Aged

Men

Results

Point 1 – economical and social situation

As seen in previous research (Masaryk & Máthé, 2001)

No identification with the concept of erectile dysfunction

Seemingly contradictory story - sexuality alright, performance is superior, yet there is decline (it is a natural process) and sexuality is highly valued

Extract

NRM23: „Economical and social security, and from this unrolls wellbeing of the family at home, I can buy myself what children feel like having, I can [buy] lunch, I can [buy] shoes, I can take my car and go for a ride, I can on Saturday, Sunday go out for some kind of cultural activity – or we can’t. And that’s the way it goes, be it friendship, family, wife and overall relationship. Some are having high times, and others are all the way down, and the one in the middle, what used to be in socialism that kind of being in the middle, [everyone] more-less equal, kind of amplitudes knocked together - it does not exist anymore, and now it’s just the question of in which extreme does one end up...“

Point 2 – expert vs. lay knowledge

What experts refer to as “erectile dysfunctions” was understood by our men as:• Decline caused by age

• Lost of erectile function in very high age

• Accident, disease (in younger men)

• Aging man with younger partner

• Childlessness (in younger men)

Point 3 – how does it affect sex lives?

Point 4 – what does that tell us about using focus groups?

Relatively low openness and interaction within groups

“Quest for an expert“ Challenge to present a total and complex

solution, not a chance to refine their opinions

Conclusions and outcomes

Financial conditions and insecurity Social representations of erectile dysfunction. Cultural and social norms of gender related

behavior Participants refuse medicalization and

problematization of their sexuality, welcome the “qualify of life” paradigm in healthcare

Practical outcomes - recommendations for physicians and psychologists, seminars for physicians and media

Thank you for your attention...

Rado MASARYK, School of Education Comenius University Bratislava

Magda PETRJÁNOŠOVÁ, School of Arts Comenius University Bratislava