Table 1.
Characteristics of participants∗
| Variables | Control group (n = 1,090) | Areca nut group (n = 1,038) | P value† |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (y) | 44.0 ± 11.4 (20–86) | 43.8 ± 11.1 (20–78) | .705 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 24.3 ± 3.0 (16.1–37.5) | 25.0 ± 3.5 (16.1–51.9) | <.001 |
| Obesity | 18.4% (201) | 24.6% (251) | <.001 |
| Marital status | |||
| Married | 84.3% (869) | 80.8% (790) | .001 |
| Divorced | 3.7% (38) | 7.7% (75) | |
| Single | 12.0% (124) | 11.6% (113) | |
| Mean sexual frequency in past 3 mo | |||
| No sexual activity | 3.3% (36) | 3.2% (33) | .229 |
| >2 times/wk | 18.9% (204) | 22.1% (225) | |
| 1–2 times/wk | 28.7% (309) | 25.5% (259) | |
| 1–4 times/mo | 32.7% (352) | 31.2% (317) | |
| <1 time/mo | 16.4% (177) | 17.9% (182) | |
| Current smoker | 27.1% (295) | 66.8% (689) | <.001 |
| Daily or frequent alcohol drinking | 7.4% (81) | 35.3% (364) | <.001 |
| Hypertension | 16.0% (173) | 22.5% (229) | <.001 |
| Diabetes | 4.8% (52) | 8.8% (90) | <.001 |
| ED classified by SHIM score | 43.3% (472) | 48.7% (505) | .013 |
| Self-reported ED | 9.8% (104) | 13.7% (140) | .006 |
ED = erectile dysfunction; SHIM = Sexual Health Inventory for Men.
∗
Data are presented as mean ± SD (range) or percentage (number). Obesity was defined as a body mass index higher than 27 kg/m2. Diabetes and hypertension were based on self-report. Self-reported ED was defined by a global assessment question.
†
The χ2 test was used for categorical variables; unpaired Student t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test was used for continuous variables depending on the normality of distribution.