Rodler Severin, von Büren Johannes, Buchner Alexander, Stief Christian, Elkhanova Katja, Wülfing Christian, Jungmann Sven
Department of Urology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
Direct Health Services, Munich, Germany.
Sex Med. 2020 Sep;8(3):370-377. doi: 10.1016/j.esxm.2020.04.001. Epub 2020 May 17.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a highly common sexual dysfunction of men but often undertreated as patients experience high treatment barriers.
The aims of this study were to characterize patients with ED using an online prescription platforms (OPPs) and determine treatment barriers that might prevent patients from seeking care in conventional health care settings.
Data from a German OPP were retrospectively analyzed with focus on patients suffering from ED with at least one online prescription of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors between May 2019 and November 2019. In addition, a voluntary questionnaire was used to assess additional social features and prior treatment barriers.
The main outcome measures were the epidemiological data, prescription metadata, and follow-up questionnaires.
A total of 11,456 male patients received prescriptions via the OPP (mean age: 49 years [95% CI 46.92-47.45]). Patients lived mainly in rural areas (69%) and frequently sought prescriptions outside the average office times of German urologists (49%). From all patients that responded to a follow-up questionnaire (n = 242), the majority were employed full-time (81%), married (50%), and native German (94%); 63.5% had not used PDE5 inhibitors before. From all repeat users, 41% had received them from unreliable sources. Reasons to seek treatment via the OPP were convenience (48%), shame (23%), and lack of discretion (13%).
In this first study, to epidemiologically characterize ED patients of an OPP, it was confirmed that inconvenience is a treatment barrier, along with shame and perceived lack of discretion. This is the first evidence that OPPs reduce treatment barriers and ease access for patients to the medical system. Rodler S, von Büren J, Buchner A, et al. Epidemiology and Treatment Barriers of Patients With Erectile Dysfunction Using an Online Prescription Platform: A Cross-Sectional Study. Sex Med 2020;8:370-377.
勃起功能障碍（ED）是男性中极为常见的性功能障碍，但由于患者面临较高的治疗障碍，往往未得到充分治疗。
本研究旨在利用在线处方平台（OPP）对勃起功能障碍患者进行特征描述，并确定可能阻碍患者在传统医疗环境中寻求治疗的障碍。
回顾性分析来自德国一个在线处方平台的数据，重点关注在2019年5月至2019年11月期间至少有一次磷酸二酯酶-5（PDE5）抑制剂在线处方的勃起功能障碍患者。此外，使用一份自愿调查问卷来评估其他社会特征和先前的治疗障碍。
主要观察指标为流行病学数据、处方元数据和随访调查问卷。
共有11456名男性患者通过该在线处方平台获得处方（平均年龄：49岁[95%CI 46.92 - 47.45]）。患者主要居住在农村地区（69%），且经常在德国泌尿科医生的平均门诊时间之外寻求处方（49%）。在所有回复随访调查问卷的患者（n = 242）中，大多数为全职工作（81%）、已婚（50%）且为德国本土人（94%）；63.5%的患者此前未使用过PDE5抑制剂。在所有重复使用者中，41%是从不可靠来源获得药物。通过在线处方平台寻求治疗的原因包括便利性（48%）、羞耻感（23%）和缺乏隐私性（13%）。
在这项首次研究中，为从流行病学角度对在线处方平台的勃起功能障碍患者进行特征描述，证实了不便、羞耻感和缺乏隐私感是治疗障碍。这是首个表明在线处方平台可减少治疗障碍并使患者更易进入医疗系统的证据。罗德勒S、冯·比伦J、布赫纳A等。使用在线处方平台的勃起功能障碍患者的流行病学及治疗障碍：一项横断面研究。《性医学》2020；8：370 - 377。
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