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The ED-EQoL: The development of a new quality of life measure for patients with erectile dysfunction

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Abstract

Purpose: To identify the important issues which have an impact on the quality of life (QoL) of men suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) and to generate a new ED-specific QoL questionnaire ready to undergo further psychometric testing. Methods: QoL issues relating to ED were generated through in-depth qualitative interviews of 29 patients, literature review and consultation with other healthcare professionals. The issues were formulated into a questionnaire, which was piloted using 40 patients with ED and subsequently refined using well-established principles of questionnaire development. Results: The qualitative interviews revealed numerous psychosocial problems associated with ED, which were operationalised into a 40-item questionnaire. Pilot testing allowed the questionnaire to be reduced to a manageable 15-item final questionnaire while maintaining face and content validity and the potential to discriminate between men with varying degrees of affected QoL. This questionnaire had a Cronbach's α of 0.94. Conclusions: A new ED-specific QoL measure has been developed using appropriate methodology. Qualitative techniques identified a range of psychosocial morbidity in men with ED, leading to a simple but robust instrument with face and content validity. This questionnaire, Erectile Dysfunction – Effect on quality of life (ED-EQoL), has now undergone psychometric testing for validity and reliability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Taunton and Somerset Hospital and Department of Surgery, University of Bristol, UK

    R.P. MacDonagh & T. Porter

  2. Faculty of Health & Social Care, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

    D. Pontin

  3. Research and Development Support Unit, Taunton and Somerset Hospital, UK

    P. Ewings

Authors
  1. R.P. MacDonagh
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  2. T. Porter
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  3. D. Pontin
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  4. P. Ewings
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MacDonagh, R., Porter, T., Pontin, D. et al. The ED-EQoL: The development of a new quality of life measure for patients with erectile dysfunction. Qual Life Res 13, 361–368 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:QURE.0000018471.04066.4c

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:QURE.0000018471.04066.4c

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