Appendix: Psychometric tools for premature ejaculation and related erectile dysfunction

Abstract

When patients with premature ejaculation (PE) finally consult their doctors, they are acutely aware of their sexual troubles, but negative feelings such as anxiety and guilt severely hinder the patient-physician relationship and impair effective communication and empathy, that is the first step towards solving the problem. Establishing an interested and warm relationship is the prerequisite for obtaining an informative and thorough history, the cornerstone of an economical investigation, an accurate diagnosis and a successful treatment of PE. The physician needs to consider the background of the sexual problem, in terms not only of the patients themselves, but also within the context of the couple's relationship and of the family background. At the beginning of the interview, the physician should obtain information about the patient's origin, education, job, home, lifestyle, hopes, and fears, to get onto friendly terms with him/her. In listening to the patient's history, the physician should pay attention even to the slightest details such as the voice inflection, facial expressions and attitude.