ArticleArchives of sexual behavior2010
The association between penis size and sexual health among men who have sex with men.
Article in Archives of sexual behavior, 2010. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 82 citations in OpenAlex.
- Assessing the role of masculinity in the transmission of HIV: a systematic review to inform HIV risk reduction counseling interventions for men who have sex with men.Archives of sexual behavior · 2015Pooled it
- Dismantling Stereotypes About Being Top, Versatile, or Bottom: Sexual Minority Men's Anal Sex Position Identity as It Relates to Attraction, Sexual Behavior, and Anthropomorphic Characteristics.Journal of sex research · 2025Article
- Penile enhancement: A comprehensive and current perspective.Current urology · 2025Review
- Reasons for Genital Dissatisfaction in a Sample of Brazilian Men.Archives of sexual behavior · 2024Article
- Factors Associated with Satisfaction with Male Genital Self-Image in Brazil.Archives of sexual behavior · 2023Article
- The effect of penis size on partner sexual satisfaction: a literature review.International journal of impotence research · 2023Review
- A Retrospective Taiwanese-Population-Based Clinical Study on Determining the Efficacy and Safety of Disposable Circumcision Anastomat.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Article
- Motivations and Psychological Characteristics of Men Seeking Penile Girth Augmentation.Aesthetic surgery journal · 2022Article
- Subcultural Identification, Penetration Practices, Masculinity, and Gender Labels within a Nationally Representative Sample of Three Cohorts of American Black, White, and Latina/o LGBQ People.Archives of sexual behavior · 2022Article
- Performer Roles and Behaviors in Dyadic Sexually Explicit Media Featuring Men Who Have Sex with Men.Archives of sexual behavior · 2022Article
- Sexual Dysfunction Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: a Review Article.Current urology reports · 2021Review
- Growers versus showers: a meaningful (or useful) distinction?International journal of impotence research · 2018Article
- Sexual Positioning Practices and Sexual Risk Among Black Gay and Bisexual Men: A Life Course Perspective.AIDS and behavior · 2018Article
- Threat of Sexual Disqualification: The Consequences of Erectile Dysfunction and Other Sexual Changes for Gay and Bisexual Men With Prostate Cancer.Archives of sexual behavior · 2017Article
- Sexual Positioning Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Narrative Review.Archives of sexual behavior · 2017Review
- Body Dissatisfaction in a Diverse Sample of Young Men Who Have Sex With Men: The P18 Cohort Study.Archives of sexual behavior · 2016Article
- Sexual Functioning and Behavior of Men with Body Dysmorphic Disorder Concerning Penis Size Compared with Men Anxious about Penis Size and with Controls: A Cohort Study.Sexual medicine · 2015Article
- Women's Preferences for Penis Size: A New Research Method Using Selection among 3D Models.PloS one · 2015Article
- Self-Presentation, Desired Partner Characteristics, and Sexual Behavior Preferences in Online Personal Advertisements of Men Seeking Non-Gay-Identified Men.Psychology of sexual orientation and gender diversity · 2014Article
- Perceived importance of five different health issues for gay and bisexual men: implications for new directions in health education and prevention.American journal of men's health · 2013Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Larger penis size has been equated with a symbol of power, stamina, masculinity, and social status. Yet, there has been little research among men who have sex with men assessing the association between penis size and social-sexual health. Survey data from a diverse sample of 1,065 men who have sex with men were used to explore the association between perceived penis size and a variety of psychosocial outcomes. Seven percent of men felt their penis was "below average," 53.9% "average," and 35.5% "above average." Penis size was positively related to satisfaction with size and inversely related to lying about penis size (all ps < .01). Size was unrelated to condom use, frequency of sex partners, HIV status, or recent diagnoses of HBV, HCV, gonorrhea/Chlamydia/urinary tract infections, and syphilis. Men with above average penises were more likely to report HPV and HSV-2 (Fisher's exact p <or= .05). Men with below average penises were significantly more likely to identify as "bottoms" (anal receptive) and men with above average penises were significantly more likely to identify as "tops" (anal insertive). Finally, men with below average penises fared significantly worse than other men on three measures of psychosocial adjustment. Though most men felt their penis size was average, many fell outside this "norm." The disproportionate number of viral skin-to-skin STIs (HSV-2 and HPV) suggest size may play a role in condom slippage/breakage. Further, size played a significant role in sexual positioning and psychosocial adjustment. These data highlight the need to better understand the real individual-level consequences of living in a penis-centered society.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.