INTRODUCTION: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is common in older men and can be worsened by prostate cancer (PCa) treatment. True ED rates before PCa treatment are mandatory, in order to assess the rate of ED attributable to PCa treatment. Data derived from population-based studies or from patients surveyed after PCa diagnosis, as well as just prior to treatment may not represent a valid benchmark, as health profiles of the general population might be different to those undergoing PCa screening or as anxiety may worsen existent ED. AIM: To circumvent these limitations, we assessed the baseline rate of ED in PCa diagnosis-free men participating in a PCa awareness event. METHODS: ED was classified according to the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score as absent (IIEF: 25-30), mild (22-24), mild to moderate (17-21), moderate (11-16), or severe (
