Problem: According to recent estimates, erectile dysfunction (ED) affects about 30 million men in the United States. Moreover, the Massechusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) has noted that 52% of men ages 40-70 years experience the condition. With media and pharmaceutical attention given to ED in middle aged men, there exists a need to correct misperceptions regarding the condition. A systematic review of the literature using techniques by Davidson revealed a need for patient education that involves shared decision-making with regard to the knowledge and treatment options for patients with ED. Purpose and Scope: The purpose of this Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) project was to describe the level of client knowledge in men with ED before and after participation in an ED clinic teaching intervention. The educational program addressed general knowledge regarding ED as well as treatment knowledge in terms of self-care. Using descriptive-interventional methodology, the study variable of ED knowledge was measured before and after participation in an ED clinic using the author-developed Erectile Dysfunction Basic Knowledge Assessment (EDBKA) questionnaire. The instrumentation included a 10-item questionnaire with 2 subscales assessing ED knowledge regarding the condition and treatment options. Goal and Objectives: The goal of the capstone project was to describe level of ED client knowledge in a population of Veterans. The overall objectives of the project were to: (a) design an evidence-based educational program on ED, and (b) to describe the level of ED client knowledge regarding ED before and after ED client participation in the ED teaching intervention. Plan: Phase One: Conduct a needs assessment using a published evidence-based critique template. Phase Two: Design and ED teaching intervention using an EBP approach. Phase Three: Implement an EBP teaching intervention for the projected sample. Phase Four: Describe the level of ED knowledge before and after participation in the ED program using the EDBKA. Outcomes and Results: Pre-intervention and post-intervention measures revealed an increase in ED knowledge from an aggregate percentage performance of .77 at pre-test to an aggregate percentage performance of .95 at a post-test. Moreover, scaled reliability estimates based on internal consistency for the EDBKA achieved significance at pre-test and at post-test with regard to the the tool’s performance in this interventional design. Although further inquiry is warranted, the findings suggest that patient education that involves shared decision-making with regard to the knowledge and treatment options for patients with ED can increase ED knowledge with focused educational intervention regarding the concept, and that shared decision-making following patient education is a practice change outcome worthy of further consideration.
