This web-based comparative cross-sectional survey will assess sexual function, sexual quality of life, psychological status, and marital satisfaction among Egyptian men in monogamous and polygamous marriages. Eligible participants will be married Egyptian men aged 18 years or older who provide electronic informed consent and complete an anonymous Arabic-language questionnaire. The primary outcome will be sexual function measured using the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM/IIEF-5). Secondary outcomes will include Sexual Quality of Life-Male (SQOL-M), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), marital satisfaction, and sociodemographic and clinical predictors of impaired sexual function. Data will be analyzed using descriptive, comparative, correlation, and multivariable regression methods.
Sexual function and sexual quality of life are influenced by biological, psychological, social, and relationship-related factors. Marital structure may be associated with differences in sexual function, sexual satisfaction, psychological distress, and quality of life; however, evidence among Egyptian men is limited. This study will use an anonymous Arabic-language web-based questionnaire to compare married Egyptian men in monogamous and polygamous marriages. Participants will be recruited from different Egyptian governorates through online dissemination of the survey. Before completing the questionnaire, participants will review the study information sheet and provide electronic informed consent. The questionnaire will collect sociodemographic, clinical, lifestyle, sexual, psychological, and relationship-related information. Sexual function will be assessed using the Arabic version of the Sexual Health Inventory for Men/Sexual Health Inventory for Men-5 (SHIM/IIEF-5). Sexual quality of life will be assessed using the Sexual Quality of Life-Male questionnaire. Depression, anxiety, and stress will be assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. Marital satisfaction and relationship satisfaction will be assessed using predefined Likert-type questions. The monogamous group will include men currently married to one wife. The polygamous group will include men currently married to two or more wives. Participants will be analyzed according to marital structure, and additional descriptive analyses may be performed according to the number of wives among polygamous participants. The primary analysis will compare SHIM scores and the proportion of participants with impaired sexual function between the two marital groups. Secondary analyses will compare sexual quality of life, psychological status, marital satisfaction, and other clinical and sociodemographic variables. Multivariable regression models will be used to assess whether marital structure is independently associated with impaired sexual function or poor sexual quality of life after adjustment for relevant confounding factors.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
1,820
Existing marital structure consisting of one current wife at the time of questionnaire completion. This is an observational exposure and is not assigned, modified, or administered by the study team. Participants in this exposure group will complete the same anonymous Arabic-language questionnaire as participants in the polygamous-marriage group.
Existing marital structure consisting of two or more current wives at the time of questionnaire completion. This is an observational exposure and is not assigned, modified, or administered by the study team. Participants in this exposure group will complete the same anonymous Arabic-language questionnaire as participants in the monogamous-marriage group.
Department of Urology, Al-Hussein and Sayed Galal University Hospitals, Al-Azhar University
Cairo, Egypt
RECRUITINGSexual function score measured by the Sexual Health Inventory for Men
Sexual function will be assessed using the five-item Sexual Health Inventory for Men, also known as the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (SHIM/IIEF-5). Scores range from 5 to 25, with higher scores indicating better erectile function. The mean or median SHIM score will be compared between men in monogamous and polygamous marriages.
Time frame: Baseline (single assessment at questionnaire completion)
Proportion of participants with impaired sexual function
Impaired sexual function will be defined as a SHIM/IIEF-5 score of 21 or less. The outcome will be reported as the number and percentage of participants with impaired sexual function in each marital-structure group.
Time frame: Baseline (single assessment at questionnaire completion)
Sexual Quality of Life-Male questionnaire score
Sexual quality of life will be assessed using the Sexual Quality of Life-Male questionnaire. The total score will be reported according to the scoring system of the validated questionnaire, with higher scores indicating better sexual quality of life if applicable to the selected version. Scores will be compared between monogamous and polygamous marriage groups.
Time frame: Baseline (single assessment at questionnaire completion)
Relationship satisfaction score
Relationship satisfaction will be assessed using predefined Likert-type questions regarding satisfaction with the marital relationship. Scores will be summarized and compared between monogamous and polygamous marriage groups, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction.
Time frame: Baseline (single assessment at questionnaire completion)
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