Erectile dysfunction assessed by females: development and validation of the Female Assessment of Male Erectile dysfunction detection scale (FAME)

Rubio-Aurioles, E⁽¹⁾; Arango de Montis, I⁽¹⁾; Terrein Roccatti, N⁽¹⁾; Sand, M⁽²⁾

⁽¹⁾Asociación Mexicana para la Salud Sexual AC, Tlalpan ⁽²⁾Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Wuppertal

Introduction/Objective: Female partners of men with erectile dysfunction (ED) play a pivotal role in encouraging men to seek treatment. Here we report the generation of a Spanish-language instrument for women to detect the presence of ED in their partner: the Female Assessment of Male Erectile dysfunction detection scale (FAME).

Materials and Methods: Focus groups consisting of female partners of men with ED identified possible themes or clues indicating the presence of ED. These themes were translated into questionnaire items. ED experts and female partners of men with ED rated these items according to clarity and ability to detect ED. The resultant items were tested in two groups of couples (with or without ED in the male partner). T-tests were used to rate the discriminating value of each item. Concurrent validity was assessed by calculating Spearman’s rho correlation between FAME and clinical diagnosis and scores for the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) and erectile function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-EF). The reliability, sensitivity and specificity of FAME were also assessed.

Results: 23 potential items were selected for the assessment. For most of these items statistically significant differences were observed between mean scores for each group (ED vs no ED). The six items with the greatest discriminatory power when scores were correlated with clinical diagnosis and SHIM were selected to comprise the final version of the scale. FAME correlated significantly (p<0.001) with clinical diagnosis (0.743), SHIM score (0.829) and IIEF-EF score (0.684). Internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s alpha, 0.941). Sensitivity and specificity were 72.0% and 96.9% respectively, compared with 65.5% and 100.0% (SHIM), and 54.5% and 100.0% (IIEF-EF).

Conclusions: Accurate detection of ED in men by female partners is possible. FAME demonstrated validity, reliability, sensitivity and specificity, and showed higher specificity than SHIM.