Abstract
Background: Sexual dysfunction is an important and infrequently addressed issue in patients with cancer. Purpose: To identify self-report measures for assessing sexual dysfunction and to evaluate their psychometric properties and relevance to patients with cancer. Methods: Multiple electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO) were reviewed using specific search terms to locate articles that identify self-report measures assessing sexual dysfunction. From the 1118 articles reviewed, 21 measures were selected for analysis. Each measure was independently reviewed and rated by 2 reviewers using the Cancer EDGE Task Force Outcome Measure Rating Form. Any discrepancies between reviewers were discussed, and an overall recommendation for each measure was made using the 4-point Cancer EDGE Task Force Rating Scale. Results: On the basis of the psychometric properties and relevance to patients with cancers, we highly recommend the following 4 measures: Sexual Function-Vaginal Changes Questionnaire; International Index of Erectile Function; Erection Hardness Score; and Sexual Health Inventory for Men (aka International Index of Erectile Function-5). We recommend one measure, the Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory. We are unable to recommend 8 measures, based on limited psychometric information and/or clinical utility. Finally, we do not recommend an additional 8 measures. Conclusions: Five of the 21 sexual dysfunction measures demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties and application to the cancer population and are thereby recommended for clinical use in patients with cancer.