THE INFLUENCE OF PATIENT EDUCATION LEVEL ON THE INTERNATIONAL PROSTATIC SYMPTOM SCORE

The American Urological Association developed a questionnaire to quant ify the severity of symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) . An additional question relating to the impact of BPH on the quality of life was added, and this questionnaire became known as the Internat ional Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) and was adopted by the World Heal th Organization. The objective of our study was to determine the influ ence of education on the I-PSS and to analyze the relationship of the effect on the questionnaire when self-administered or administered by professional medical personnel. I-PSS was administered to 92 patients 50 to 81 years old (mean age 63) with BPH. Patients were assessed into 2 groups according to the level of education. Group 1 was composed of 68 patients considered literate and group 2 comprised 24 patients con sidered illiterate by UNICEF criteria. Patients received orientation a bout the questionnaire and the manner of completion. The symptom index was self-administered (subgroup P) and administered with physician he lp (subgroup D). Statistical analysis was done using Wilcoxon method f or nonparametric samples and regression analysis. The difference betwe en P and D subgroups in group 1 was not statistically significant (p = 0.55). However, the difference between subgroups P and D in group 2 w as statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was no correlation bet ween the mean I-PSS in subgroup D of literate and illiterate groups. O ur study suggests that illiterate patients were not able to answer the questionnaire but with the help of professional medical personnel the I-PSS could be extended to this group of patients without impairing t he quality.