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Ernie, dear.... what does A.342 equal in REAL money? <grinning> Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] ---------- From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf of Ernie Peters Sent: Thursday, December 05, 1996 11:32 AM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Anonymous sex survey - any interest? Hello friends, Do take time to read this letter if you can, we might just be able to do some good here. I was indulging in what is apparently a common pastime for us parkies, "Lying awake in bed thinking about PD", when it ocurred to me that we have the numbers within this group to obtain some statistics which may be of real help to all. Now, before anyone reaches for the delete button with a, "I ain't gona tell nobody about ma dang sex life!", read on about my thinking of how to make this totally anonymous. Clearly any survey of this sort MUST guarantee total anonymity and therefore replies via e-mail would not be satisfactory. I had thought that the best way was to obtain answers to the survey by normal (snail) mail. These replies would not require ANY identification whatsoever and even the subject would not be apparent if the mail went adrift. I had thought to take out a post office box for the duration. This unfortunately has to be for a period of at least 6 months at a cost of =A342 but I do not mind paying for this if we ended up with worthwhile results. Has any such survey ever been done anywhere? What if by asking the right questions we ended up with statistics (just for example) which revealed that the sex abilities of 60% of males with PD were seriously affected but within that, only 40% of those on levadopa+agonist were affected? Or that only 10% of those taking Vitamin E were affected. I think you see what I am trying to say, we might be able to show what drugs/vitamins or combination of drugs/vitamins affect sexuality and ability. OR, what vitamin combinations improve ability, if at all. OR, that it is mainly PD which is the culprit and that drugs have no real effect at all. Either way we might learn something, and potentially it COULD be very important. The questions could be set something like this: Q1. Which of the following best describes how badly your ability to have sexual intercourse has been affected since being diagnosed with PD? a. not at all b. slightly c. considerably d total inability. Answers would therefore look like this: Q1. c. Q2. d. Q3. a. The returned form need not even have a title though I suggest a heading of "Survey". If it is going to be revealing and statistically significant we would need a response from just about everybody in the group. That would include those who no longer had any real interest in sex. We also need to ask sufficient questions to ensure we do not miss anything valid. If this project was considered worthwhile by everybody I would work on a series of questions and then ask for your opinions on whether I had missed anything liable to be important. Any constructive remarks would be welcome. This will not be an overnight task, it is worth taking time to get it right. Also, I am probably underestimating the work involved. However, I would be prepared to go for it if people will be patient for the results. BTW, I have not left the women out of this, but obviously the type of questions would be different. If any lady with PD feels she would like to take on the questions to and from the ladies with PD, please say so. Once we have the answers we could even transmit them to others on the group who might like to explore the statistical side and give me breather. The data would be just question numbers and letters and therefore quite safe to send. I have just floated this idea as a possibility. By all means let anybody who wants to have a say write in via the group as usual. However, the decision as to whether it will work or not, will depend on enough people having enough interest to take part. In order to test this may I ask you the following: Would you be prepared to answer personal questions (which may be more personal than that above) on a plain sheet of paper in the manner shown above? Would you be prepared to devote 10-15 mins to it? Would you then be prepared to post these answers anonymously to a post box in the UK? Now, I do not want to crash my server with hundreds (MAYBE) of replies so I suggest the following so that I can limit the replies: Whether you are male or female and your surname begins with a letter between A and D, please send me a reply DIRECT. Put the Subject as "Parkinson Survey" and write "would take part" as the message. If you would NOT be interested in taking part send nothing. That is all. If this DOES get off the ground PLEASE be patient. It WILL take time. I have a life to lead and my wife Julia to keep happy and in cuddles. Camilla is right, cuddles are VERY important. We have lots! Do you think how many cuddles people have in a day should be a question? <Grin> Ernie and Julia. (I have PD, Julia is the victim) Ernie Peters <[log in to unmask]>