{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,13]],"date-time":"2026-08-13T20:39:07Z","timestamp":1786653547821,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768867200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Men frequently present to their health practitioners with concerns that they are not \u201cnormal\u201d in the domains of sexual anatomy and function. This narrative review aims to synthesize the existing evidence on the general male population\u2019s perception of normative sexual anatomy (penile length) and function (erectile and ejaculatory function). A structured literature search was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, limited to English language studies that involved adult participants from non-medical backgrounds. Of the 1098 studies identified, only seven met the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, indicating an insufficiency in research directly addressing men\u2019s perceptions of normative sexual anatomy and function. The studies included in this review found that there was an inaccurate understanding of what empirically constitutes \u201cnormal\u201d. Men considered above-average penis lengths to be common and perceived themselves as \u201csmall\u201d despite being within the normal range. They tended to overestimate typical intercourse durations and were inaccurate in self-diagnosing ejaculatory dysfunction and erectile dysfunction. The inability to differentiate normal and abnormal sexual function reflects a poor understanding of what constitutes normal. These findings may inform future research and provide guidance for educating clinicians and the public to improve sexual health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4103\/aja202572","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T14:00:23Z","timestamp":1768917623000},"page":"223-229","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Are men aware of normal penile length and sexual function? A narrative review of the literature"],"prefix":"10.4103","volume":"28","author":[{"given":"Yoonus","family":"Faizal","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Eastern Health, Victoria 3218, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Winston","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Western Health, Victoria 3021, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vincent","family":"Chan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Men\u2019s Health Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Glenn","family":"Duns","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Men\u2019s Health Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kathryn M","family":"Schubach","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Men\u2019s Health Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Darren J","family":"Katz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Men\u2019s Health Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia"},{"name":"Department of Surgery, Western Precinct, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia"},{"name":"Department of Urology, Western Health, Victoria 3021, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"276","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"R1-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.1080\/02813432.2017.1398934","article-title":"Do patients consult their GP for sexual concerns?A cross sectional explorative study","volume":"35","author":"Vik","year":"2017","journal-title":"Scand J Prim Health Care"},{"key":"R2-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"492","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1743-6109.2005.00070.x","article-title":"A multinational population survey of intravaginal ejaculation latency time","volume":"2","author":"Waldinger","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Sex Med"},{"key":"R3-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"978","DOI":"10.1111\/bju.13010","article-title":"Am I normal?A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15 521 men","volume":"115","author":"Veale","year":"2015","journal-title":"BJU Int"},{"key":"R4-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1080\/0092623X.2020.1787279","article-title":"Average-size erect penis:fiction, fact, and the need for counseling","volume":"47","author":"King","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Sex Marital Ther"},{"key":"R5-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16003","DOI":"10.1038\/nrdp.2016.3","article-title":"Erectile dysfunction","volume":"2","author":"Yafi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat Rev Dis Prim"},{"key":"R6-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"578","DOI":"10.3390\/sexes3040042","article-title":"Does pornography misinform consumers?The association between pornography use and porn-congruent sexual health beliefs","volume":"3","author":"Miller","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sexes"},{"key":"R7-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1253","DOI":"10.1093\/asj\/sjz154","article-title":"Sociocultural influences on men's penis size perceptions and decisions to undergo penile augmentation:a qualitative study","volume":"39","author":"Sharp","year":"2019","journal-title":"Aesthet Surg J"},{"key":"R9-20260430","first-page":"58","article-title":"Let us talk about sexual education!Views and practices of parents and teachers in Pakistan","volume":"19","author":"Fayyaz Ahmad","year":"2024","journal-title":"Am J Sex Educ"},{"key":"R10-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1163","DOI":"10.1177\/1359105308095971","article-title":"Beyond muscles:unexplored parts of men's body image","volume":"13","author":"Tiggemann","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Health Psychol"},{"key":"R13-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1037\/1524-9220.7.3.129","article-title":"Does size matter?Men's and women's views on penis size across the lifespan","volume":"7","author":"Lever","year":"2006","journal-title":"Psychol Men Masc"},{"key":"R14-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1449","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1464-410X.2007.06806.x","article-title":"Penile size and the 'small penis syndrome'","volume":"99","author":"Wylie","year":"2007","journal-title":"BJU Int"},{"key":"R15-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"283","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.ijir.3900887","article-title":"Penile length is normal in most men seeking penile lengthening procedures","volume":"14","author":"Mondaini","year":"2002","journal-title":"Int J Impot Res"},{"key":"R16-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"158","DOI":"10.1038\/s41443-018-0039-1","article-title":"Does underestimated penile size impact erectile function in healthy men?","volume":"30","author":"Sanches","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Impot Res"},{"key":"R17-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1743-6109.2011.02338.x","article-title":"The Global Online Sexuality Survey (GOSS):ejaculatory function, penile anatomy, and contraceptive usage among Arabic-speaking Internet users in the Middle East","volume":"9","author":"Shaeer","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Sex Med"},{"key":"R18-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1016\/j.paid.2012.02.016","article-title":"An examination of Rushton's theory of differences in penis length and circumference and r-K life history theory in 113 populations","volume":"55","author":"Lynn","year":"2013","journal-title":"Pers Individ Dif"},{"key":"R19-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.5152\/tud.2025.24038","article-title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis of penis length and circumference according to WHO regions:who has the biggest one?","volume":"50","author":"Mostafaei","year":"2024","journal-title":"Urol Res Pract"},{"key":"R20-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1002\/sm2.28","article-title":"An update of the international society of sexual medicine's guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of premature ejaculation (PE)","volume":"2","author":"Althof","year":"2014","journal-title":"Sex Med"},{"key":"R21-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1061","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fertnstert.2015.08.035","article-title":"Premature ejaculation:old story, new insights","volume":"104","author":"Jannini","year":"2015","journal-title":"Fertil Steril"},{"key":"R22-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"454","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1743-6109.2011.02507.x","article-title":"Premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction prevalence and attitudes in the Asia-Pacific region","volume":"9","author":"McMahon","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Sex Med"},{"key":"R23-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"565","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eururo.2007.01.028","article-title":"Development and validation of a premature ejaculation diagnostic tool","volume":"52","author":"Symonds","year":"2007","journal-title":"Eur Urol"},{"key":"R24-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"865","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1743-6109.2010.02151.x","article-title":"The diagnostic value of the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool and its association with intravaginal ejaculatory latency time","volume":"8","author":"Kam","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Sex Med"},{"key":"R25-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.ijir.3900472","article-title":"Development and evaluation of an abridged, 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) as a diagnostic tool for erectile dysfunction","volume":"11","author":"Rosen","year":"1999","journal-title":"Int J Impot Res"},{"key":"R26-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1137","DOI":"10.1093\/jsxmed\/qdae127","article-title":"Perception of normal and treatment level ejaculatory latency times in men with premature ejaculation","volume":"21","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Sex Med"},{"key":"R27-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e000403","DOI":"10.1136\/fmch-2020-000403","article-title":"Comparison of self-report and objective measures of male sexual dysfunction in a Japanese primary care setting:a cross-sectional, self-administered mixed methods survey","volume":"9","author":"Takeuchi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Fam Med Community Health"},{"key":"R28-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2490-10-18","article-title":"Lack of awareness of erectile dysfunction in many men with risk factors for erectile dysfunction","volume":"10","author":"Shabsigh","year":"2010","journal-title":"BMC Urol"},{"key":"R29-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1811","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsxm.2018.10.007","article-title":"Complications of genital enlargement surgery","volume":"15","author":"Furr","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Sex Med"},{"key":"R30-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"158","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sxmr.2019.01.004","article-title":"Systematic review of surgical and nonsurgical interventions in normal men complaining of small penis size","volume":"8","author":"Marra","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sex Med Rev"},{"key":"R31-20260430","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2605.2005.00593.x","article-title":"Correlation between ejaculatory and erectile dysfunction","volume":"28","author":"Jannini","year":"2005","journal-title":"Int J Androl"}],"container-title":["Asian Journal of Andrology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/aja202572","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,13]],"date-time":"2026-08-13T19:39:13Z","timestamp":1786649953000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/aja202572"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]]},"references-count":28,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4103\/aja202572","relation":{},"ISSN":["1745-7262","1008-682X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1745-7262","type":"print"},{"value":"1008-682X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-02-18","name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-08-20","name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}