Pornography Use Prevalence and Associated Factors in Arab Countries: A Multinational Cross-Sectional Study of 15,027 Individuals.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional online survey
PubMed 33526399 · doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.12.011
What was done
An open multinational online cross-sectional survey was administered across Arab countries to evaluate pornography viewing behaviors (first exposure and frequency), perceptions, leisure time utilization, exercise habits, and psychiatric visits. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with frequent pornography viewing.
What was found
The study analyzed 15,027 participants (84.56% male; 81.71% living with parents; 60.51% university graduates; reported mean age 23.82 ± 24.99 years). Frequent pornography viewing was significantly associated with: - Male gender: OR 7.08 (95% CI: 6.43 to 7.81; P < .001) - Age ≤15 years: OR 1.33 (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.75; P = .044) Inversely associated factors included: - PhD attainment: OR 0.36 (95% CI: 0.26 to 0.51; P = .003) - Regular physical exercise: OR 0.66 (95% CI: 0.58 to 0.74; P < .001) The abstract does not report the overall baseline prevalence percentage of pornography viewing.
Why it matters
This study provides multinational data from a culturally conservative region, identifying specific demographic and lifestyle correlates (such as male gender, younger age, lower education, and lack of exercise) associated with frequent pornography consumption.
Limits
The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality. Reliance on an online convenience sample introduces substantial selection bias (sample was 84.56% male) and self-reporting on sensitive topics is susceptible to social desirability and recall bias. Specific countries surveyed and overall prevalence numbers are not stated in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Data show that younger people are consuming more pornography.