What do ISSM members think about their membership? About 600 members let us know in the 2015 membership survey and we're pleased to share the results!

This year, about three-quarters of the respondents were men and one quarter were women. Most were in their forties, fifties, and sixties. Over half had been ISSM members for at least three years.

About 44% of the respondents were urologists. Nine percent were gynecologists.

The highest rated membership benefits were subscriptions to The Journal of Sexual Medicine and Sexual Medicine Reviews. Discounted fees for symposia and meetings and networking opportunities were also highly-rated.

Two hundred respondents said they were planning to attend the 20th World Meeting on Sexual Medicine next September in Beijing!  

We are also pleased to announce the names of five survey respondents who were randomly chosen to receive a voucher for EUR 75,00.  This voucher can be applied to ISSM membership, meeting registration, and/or publications. The winners are:

• Mary Rogan, Ireland
• Mostafa Zayed, Saudi Arabia  
• Oscar Martin Gutierrez Navarro, Peru
• Lourdes Mantecon-Garza, USA
• Ashley Bowen, USA

We thank all of the ISSM members who participated in the survey. More information on the survey may be found here.

The International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH), the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disorders (ISSVD), and the International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS) have developed an evidence-based consensus on the terminology and classification of persistent vulvar pain. 

The document, which has been approved by the ISSM, was created by experts in the diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, and research of vulvovaginal pain. It updates previous terminology developed in 2003.  

"It is expected to replace the previous terminology and to improve the diagnosis and management of women with vulvar pain, as well as research in the field," the authors explained. 

More details are available here. 

Clinicians should ask about ejaculation when evaulating men's sexual health, American researchers say.

A recent study of men with ejaculatory disorders - other than premature ejaculation - found that 82% of study subjects had more than one type of disorder. About two-thirds said their symptoms were bothersome. 

The research team used validated questionnaires to learn more about the prevalence, severity, and distress of the following ejaculatory disorders: 

• delayed ejaculation (DE)
• anejaculation (AE)
• perceived ejaculate volume reduction (PEVR)
• decreased force of ejaculation (DFE)

PEVR was the most common disorder, affecting 88% of the participants. Eighty-one percent of the men had DFE, 62% reported DE, and 37% suffered from AE.

Prevalence was higher for black men when compared to white men, which was a "novel finding" that needs more research, the authors wrote.  

Most of the men had normal testosterone levels, however. 

The study was first published online in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Please click here to learn more.