Shunichi Namiki1,2, Yoichi Arai2. 1. Department of Urology Osaki City Hospital Osaki Japan. 2. Department of Urology Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine 1-1 Seiryomachi, Aoba-ku 980-8574 Sendai Japan.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Race and ethnicity are important factors in health-related quality of life (QOL) because of racial differences in preferences for, and trust in, health systems. Such factors are likely to affect QOL and patient satisfaction with care. RESULTS: Using a self-reported questionnaire, Japanese men with prostate cancer reported lower sexual function scores at baseline. In detail, Japanese men were more likely than American men to report poor sexual desire, poor erection ability, poor overall ability to function sexually, poor ability to attain orgasm, poor quality of erections, infrequency of erections, infrequency of morning erections, and intercourse in the previous 4 weeks. However, Japanese men were less likely than American men to be concerned about their sexual function. Two years after surgery, American patients were more likely than Japanese patients to regain their baseline sexual function. The use of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors has been widely publicized as the solution to erectile dysfunction after prostate cancer treatment. Although PDE-5 inhibitors have been available in Japan since 1999, it is striking that Japanese men with localized prostate cancer are much less likely (only 10%) to use PDE-5 inhibitors than American men. CONCLUSION: Japanese patients with localized prostate cancer report worse sexual function but are less concerned about their reduced function. In the absence of a biological explanation for such differences, however, we suspect that cultural differences may explain the differences between QOL survey results from Japanese or American men with prostate cancer.
INTRODUCTION: Race and ethnicity are important factors in health-related quality of life (QOL) because of racial differences in preferences for, and trust in, health systems. Such factors are likely to affect QOL and patient satisfaction with care. RESULTS: Using a self-reported questionnaire, Japanese men with prostate cancer reported lower sexual function scores at baseline. In detail, Japanese men were more likely than American men to report poor sexual desire, poor erection ability, poor overall ability to function sexually, poor ability to attain orgasm, poor quality of erections, infrequency of erections, infrequency of morning erections, and intercourse in the previous 4 weeks. However, Japanese men were less likely than American men to be concerned about their sexual function. Two years after surgery, American patients were more likely than Japanese patients to regain their baseline sexual function. The use of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors has been widely publicized as the solution to erectile dysfunction after prostate cancer treatment. Although PDE-5 inhibitors have been available in Japan since 1999, it is striking that Japanese men with localized prostate cancer are much less likely (only 10%) to use PDE-5 inhibitors than American men. CONCLUSION: Japanese patients with localized prostate cancer report worse sexual function but are less concerned about their reduced function. In the absence of a biological explanation for such differences, however, we suspect that cultural differences may explain the differences between QOL survey results from Japanese or American men with prostate cancer.
Entities:
Keywords:
Cross‐cultural comparative study; Erectile dysfunction; Prostatic neoplasms; Quality of life
Authors: N Masumori; T Tsukamoto; Y Kumamoto; L A Panser; T Rhodes; C J Girman; M M Lieber; S J Jacobsen Journal: Urology Date: 1999-08 Impact factor: 2.649
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