Talking about premature ejaculation in primary care: the GET UP cluster randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Sexual Health
• General Practice

Background:

• Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most prevalent sexual dysfunction affecting males.
• A prior qualitative study identified six key communication strategies for GPs to address PE during consultations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if six specific communication strategies improve patient-GP discussions on PE compared to usual care.
• To assess the impact of enhanced communication training on PE detection rates.

Main Methods:

• A cluster randomized controlled trial involving 32 GPs across four French regions.
• Intervention group GPs received training on six communication strategies; control group received routine care.
• Primary outcome: percentage of patients discussing PE with their GP. Secondary outcomes: PE diagnosis via PEDT score and quality-of-life changes (SF-12).

Main Results:

• A significantly higher percentage of patients discussed PE with GPs in the intervention group (42.0%) compared to the control group (4.9%).
• The absolute difference was 37.1% (95% CI: 24% to 50%, P<0.001).
• The study involved 130 male patients aged 18-80 consulting for sexual, urogenital, or psychological reasons.

Conclusions:

• Training GPs in specific communication strategies effectively enhances the detection of premature ejaculation.
• Improved communication can lead to better identification and management of PE in primary care settings.