10-item symptom survey to facilitate the detection of men at risk for androgen (or testosterone) deficiency.
Audience: PATIENT
Published by EVAL Foundation
Revision 1 · Published February 6, 2026
The qADAM is a quantitative modification of the original ADAM questionnaire. The original 10 questions are property of Saint Louis University and were developed by John E. Morley, M.B., B.Ch. The quantitative scoring system was validated and published by Mohamed et al. (2010).
- For the Questions (Original ADAM): Morley, J. E., Charlton, E., Patrick, P., Kaiser, F. E., Cadeau, P., McCready, D., & Perry, H. M., III. (2000). Validation of a screening questionnaire for androgen deficiency in aging males. Metabolism, 49(9), 1239–1242.
- For the Scoring System (qADAM): Mohamed, O., Freundlich, R. E., Dakik, H. K., Grober, E. D., Najari, B., Lipshultz, L. I., & Khera, M. (2010). The quantitative ADAM questionnaire: a new tool in quantifying the severity of hypogonadism. International Journal of Impotence Research, 22(1), 20–24.
Summary
The qADAM (quantitative Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male) questionnaire is an enhanced screening tool for potential low testosterone (hypogonadism) that provides a measure of symptom severity. The qADAM is a quantitative modification of the original ADAM questionnaire. The original 10 questions are property of Saint Louis University and were developed by John E. Morley, M.B., B.Ch. The quantitative scoring system was validated and published by Mohamed et al. (2010).
The most critical difference is the scoring mechanism:
| Feature | Original ADAM Questionnaire | Quantitative ADAM (qADAM) |
|---|---|---|
| Response | Binary choice (Yes or No) | 5-point Likert Scale |
| Purpose | Simple screening (is the symptom present?) | Screening and quantifying severity (how bad is the symptom?) |
| Scoring | Yes to Q1 (Sex Drive) or Q7* (Erection), OR Yes to any 3 others = Positive Screen (No numerical score) | Total Score from 10 (most symptomatic) to 50 (least symptomatic) |
| Utility | Guides need for a blood test | Guides need for a blood test and helps monitor treatment response. |
*Note: Q6 in the ADAM maps to Q6 in the qADAM
Questions
The qADAM uses the same 10 symptom questions as the original ADAM, but rephrases them slightly to facilitate a graded response. Each question is scored on a 5-point scale, and the score for each question is added together to get the total.
| # | Symptom Area | Standardized Question | Score 1 (Most Symptomatic) | Score 5 (Least Symptomatic) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Libido | How would you rate your libido (sex drive)? | Terrible | Excellent |
| 2 | Energy | How would you rate your energy level? | Terrible | Excellent |
| 3 | Strength/Endurance | How would you rate your strength/endurance? | Terrible | Excellent |
| 4 | Enjoyment | How would you rate your enjoyment of life? | Terrible | Excellent |
| 5 | Mood | How would you rate your happiness level? | Terrible | Excellent |
| 6 | Erections | How strong are your erections? | Extremely Weak | Extremely Strong |
| 7 | Work Performance | How would you rate your work performance over the past 4 weeks? | Terrible | Excellent |
| 8 | Sleep | How often do you fall asleep after dinner? | Every Night | Never |
| 9 | Sports | How would you rate your sports ability over the past 4 weeks? | Terrible | Excellent |
| 10 | Height | How much height have you lost? | 2 inches or more | None - 0.4 inches |
Scoring
The scoring is consistently set up so that a higher score reflects fewer or less severe symptoms (a better outcome).
The standard 5-point Likert scale and corresponding score values are:
| Self-Rating (Example: Libido, Energy, Strength) | Score Value | Interpretation (Symptom Severity) |
|---|---|---|
| Terrible / Extremely Weak | 1 | Maximal Symptoms |
| Poor | 2 | Severe Symptoms |
| Average | 3 | Mild/Average Symptoms |
| Good | 4 | Minimal Symptoms |
| Excellent / Extremely Strong | 5 | No Symptoms |
Interpretation:
Score of 10: Most symptomatic (maximal androgen deficiency suggested).
Score of 50: Least symptomatic (hormonal status likely optimal based on symptoms).
Clinical Utility: The score's value lies in its correlation with serum testosterone levels (demonstrated in studies) and its ability to measure a clinically meaningful improvement (often defined as an increase of ≥ 5 points) after initiating treatment. The qADAM is a powerful tool because it provides a quantitative metric that can be tracked over time, giving doctors a non-invasive way to monitor a patient's quality of life and response to hormonal therapy.
Results include:
Current: Revision 1
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