How, why and when should urologists evaluate male sexual function?

Management of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation: The perspective of Spanish urologists. Results of the PANDORA Project (Part II)

INTRODUCTION

ED and PE are the most common male sexual dysfunctions, although they remain underdiagnosed and undertreated.

AIM

To ascertain how a group of Spanish urologists currently address ED and PE.

METHODS

Descriptive study based on a self-designed questionnaire about the clinical practice in ED and PE upon diagnosis, treatment and monitoring, patient-physician relationship and the role of the patient's partner.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 188 experienced urologists. Most patients went to the urologist's office without a previous diagnosis (92% of the urologists found <10 PE-diagnosed patients in public settings). The diagnosis of ED and/or PE was mainly carried out by the current urologist and not by another professional, particularly in private centres as opposed to public centres (78.8% vs 57.0% for ED; 82.0% vs 62.6% for PE). Most urologists believed that these disorders are underdiagnosed and deemed them as general health issues. 38% of urologists acknowledged using validated questionnaires to diagnose ED. PE was considered a subjective problem rather than a true disease and the use of PRO-based diagnosis of PE was not generally accepted (14%). Treatment options of both disorders were chosen as expected. Referral to the andrologist is usually scheduled in moderate-to-severe PE or severe ED. The cohort seemed to be mostly neutral (50%-75% for ED and 40%-55% for PE) regarding patient reluctancy to talk about their sexual problem. Patients' partners play an important role in helping men seeking treatment.

CONCLUSION

Urologists should show more proactivity during anamnesis and routine visits to improve management of ED and PD.

Breaking the Ice of Erectile Dysfunction Taboo: A Focus on Clinician–Patient Communication

Erectile dysfunction is a common yet complex problem facing men and their partners worldwide. It continues to be an under reported issue despites its high prevalence and negative impact as well as the availability of successful treatment. One of the main reasons for such a problem is the stigma surrounding it as a complaint and the deep-seated fear to discuss it. This paper aims to highlight the reasons behind the taboo and dilemma behind erectile dysfunction reporting and discusses means to overcome this stigma focusing on clinician–patient communication.

[Prospective evaluation of urology residents' interest in andrology]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the interest carried in andrology within the community of the urology residents.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Between June and October 2008, all urology residents received an anonymous questionnaire by e-mail estimating their interest for andrology. The following elements were reported: age, sex, current status, future activity, participation in theoretical learning and training courses practices, interest for the speciality and the opinion on the current formation. The statistical analysis was performed with the SEM software.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven of the 238 urology residents (32.4%) answered the sent questionnaire. The mean age was 29.2 years (25-36). Thirty-two of them were from a Parisian center (41.6%) and 45 (58.4%) from another city. There are 40.3% of urology residents who wished work on the hospital, 27.3% wished develop an exclusive liberal activity. There are 81.8% of the urology residents who declared to be interested in andrology and 29.9% were registered or wished to join the diplôme d'études spécialisées complémentaires (DESC) of Andrology. Concerning the current formation, only 4% of the participants considered that the theoretical education of the andrology was sufficient and only 6.6% of them considered to have acquired a sufficient practical training in andrology during the cursus.

CONCLUSION

The andrology is a particularly attractive speciality for the urology residents and the current modalities of formation are considered insufficient by most of them.

[Management of premature ejaculation in adults]

Premature ejaculation is a very frequent form of sexual dysfunction characterized by loss of control of ejaculation, inducing performance anxiety and, consequently, impaired quality of life of patients and their partners. The pathophysiology of this symptom is often both psychogenic and organic. The various organic causes must be systematically investigated. Several drug treatments are used with varying degrees of efficacy and their adverse effects must be taken into account when choosing a molecule. Psychological management is an essential complement to drug treatment.