Communicating about Sexual Problems
Parler des difficultés sexuelles
Article ID:
3932
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Abstract
Sexual side effects of cancer treatment are common and, unfortunately, often not discussed with patients and their partner. This may be due to personal factors of the health care provider, fear of offending the patient or lack of knowledge, time constraints, and perception of the importance to the patient based on age and severity of the cancer. Despite the barriers to communication about a sensitive topic, oncology care providers are well situated to initiate the conversation. This article will identify key issues related to communication about sexuality by oncology care providers with individuals with the most common kinds of cancer. Models for assessing sexuality in these patients are presented to facilitate communication about this important aspect of quality of life that is impacted by cancer treatment.
References
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3. Stead ML, Brown JM, Fallowfield L, Selby P (2003) Lack of communication between healthcare professionals and women with ovarian cancer about sexual issues. Br J Cancer 88:666–71
4. Reese JB, Sorice K, Beach MC, et al (2017) Patient-provider communication about sexual concerns in cancer: A systematic review. J Cancer Surviv 11:175–88
5. Barsky Reese J, Sorice K, Lepore SJ, et al (2019) Patientclinician communication about sexual health in breast cancer: A mixed-methods analysis of clinic dialogue. Patient Educ Couns 102:436–42 Fig. 1 Four opening questions Psycho-Oncol. (2022) 16:285-288 287
6. Zimmaro LA, Lepore SJ, Beach MC, Reese JB (2020) Patients’ perceived barriers to discussing sexual health with breast cancer healthcare providers. Psycho-Oncology 29:1123–31
7. Reese JB, Beach MC, Smith KC, et al (2017) Effective patientprovider communication about sexual concerns in breast cancer: A qualitative study. Support Care 25(10): 3199-3207
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9. Frey A, Pedersen C, Lindberg H, et al (2017) Prevalence and predicting factors for commonly neglected sexual side effects to external-beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer. J Sex Med 14:558–65
10. Zhou ES, Bober SL, Nekhlyudov L, et al (2016) Physical and emotional health information needs and preferences of longterm prostate cancer survivors. Patient Educ Couns 99:2049–54
11. Flynn KE, Reese JB, Jeffery DD, et al (2012) Patient experiences with communication about sex during and after treatment for cancer. Psycho-Oncology 21:594–601
12. Speer SA, Tucker SR, McPhillips R, Peters S (2017) The clinical communication and information challenges associated with the psychosexual aspects of prostate cancer treatment. Soc Sci Med 185:17–26
13. Ussher JM, Perz J, Kellett A, et al (2016) Health-related quality of life, psychological distress, and sexual changes following prostate cancer: A comparison of gay and bisexual men with heterosexual men. J Sex Med 13:425–34
14. Rose D, Ussher JM, Perz J (2017) Let’s talk about gay sex: Gay and bisexual men’s sexual communication with healthcare professionals after prostate cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 26(1): e12469 15. Hubbs JL, Dickson Michelson EL, Vogel RI, et al (2019) Sexual quality of life after the treatment of gynecologic cancer: What women want. Support Care Cancer 27:4649–54
16. Chapman CH, Heath G, Fairchild P, et al (2019) Gynecologic radiation oncology patients report unmet needs regarding sexual health communication with providers. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 145:495–502
17. Dai Y, Cook OY, Yeganeh L, et al (2020) Patient-reported barriers and facilitators to seeking and accessing support in gynecologic and breast cancer survivors with sexual problems: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. J Sex Med 17:1326–58
18. Roussin M, Lowe J, Hamilton A, Martin L (2021). Factors of sexual quality of life in gynaecological cancers: A systematic literature review. Arch Gynecol Obstet 304:791–805
19. Rubin ES, Rullo J, Tsai P, et al (2018) Best practices in North American pre-clinical medical education in sexual history taking: Consensus from the summits in medical education in sexual health. J Sex Med 15:1414–25
20. Benton CP (2021) Sexual health attitudes and beliefs among nursing faculty: A correlational study. Nurse Educ Today 98:104665
21. Annon J (1974) The behavioral treatment of sexual problems. Enabling Systems, Honolulu
22. Bober S, Carter J, Falk S (2013) Addressing female sexual function after cancer by internists and primary care providers. J Sex Med 10:112–9
23. Wang LY, Pierdomenico A, Lefkowitz A, Brandt R (2015) Female sexual health training for oncology providers: New applications. Sex Med 3:189–97
24. Althof SE, Rosen RC, Perelman MA, Rubio-Aurioles E (2013) Standard operating procedures for taking a sexual history. J Sex Med 10:26–35
2. Kent EE, Arora NK, Rowland JH, et al (2012) Health information needs and health-related quality of life in a diverse population of long-term cancer survivors. Patient Educ Couns 89:345–52
3. Stead ML, Brown JM, Fallowfield L, Selby P (2003) Lack of communication between healthcare professionals and women with ovarian cancer about sexual issues. Br J Cancer 88:666–71
4. Reese JB, Sorice K, Beach MC, et al (2017) Patient-provider communication about sexual concerns in cancer: A systematic review. J Cancer Surviv 11:175–88
5. Barsky Reese J, Sorice K, Lepore SJ, et al (2019) Patientclinician communication about sexual health in breast cancer: A mixed-methods analysis of clinic dialogue. Patient Educ Couns 102:436–42 Fig. 1 Four opening questions Psycho-Oncol. (2022) 16:285-288 287
6. Zimmaro LA, Lepore SJ, Beach MC, Reese JB (2020) Patients’ perceived barriers to discussing sexual health with breast cancer healthcare providers. Psycho-Oncology 29:1123–31
7. Reese JB, Beach MC, Smith KC, et al (2017) Effective patientprovider communication about sexual concerns in breast cancer: A qualitative study. Support Care 25(10): 3199-3207
8. Reese JB, Sorice KA, Zimmaro LA, et al (2020) Communication about sexual health in breast cancer: What can we learn from patients’ self-report and clinic dialogue? Patient Educ Couns 103:1821–9
9. Frey A, Pedersen C, Lindberg H, et al (2017) Prevalence and predicting factors for commonly neglected sexual side effects to external-beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer. J Sex Med 14:558–65
10. Zhou ES, Bober SL, Nekhlyudov L, et al (2016) Physical and emotional health information needs and preferences of longterm prostate cancer survivors. Patient Educ Couns 99:2049–54
11. Flynn KE, Reese JB, Jeffery DD, et al (2012) Patient experiences with communication about sex during and after treatment for cancer. Psycho-Oncology 21:594–601
12. Speer SA, Tucker SR, McPhillips R, Peters S (2017) The clinical communication and information challenges associated with the psychosexual aspects of prostate cancer treatment. Soc Sci Med 185:17–26
13. Ussher JM, Perz J, Kellett A, et al (2016) Health-related quality of life, psychological distress, and sexual changes following prostate cancer: A comparison of gay and bisexual men with heterosexual men. J Sex Med 13:425–34
14. Rose D, Ussher JM, Perz J (2017) Let’s talk about gay sex: Gay and bisexual men’s sexual communication with healthcare professionals after prostate cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 26(1): e12469 15. Hubbs JL, Dickson Michelson EL, Vogel RI, et al (2019) Sexual quality of life after the treatment of gynecologic cancer: What women want. Support Care Cancer 27:4649–54
16. Chapman CH, Heath G, Fairchild P, et al (2019) Gynecologic radiation oncology patients report unmet needs regarding sexual health communication with providers. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 145:495–502
17. Dai Y, Cook OY, Yeganeh L, et al (2020) Patient-reported barriers and facilitators to seeking and accessing support in gynecologic and breast cancer survivors with sexual problems: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. J Sex Med 17:1326–58
18. Roussin M, Lowe J, Hamilton A, Martin L (2021). Factors of sexual quality of life in gynaecological cancers: A systematic literature review. Arch Gynecol Obstet 304:791–805
19. Rubin ES, Rullo J, Tsai P, et al (2018) Best practices in North American pre-clinical medical education in sexual history taking: Consensus from the summits in medical education in sexual health. J Sex Med 15:1414–25
20. Benton CP (2021) Sexual health attitudes and beliefs among nursing faculty: A correlational study. Nurse Educ Today 98:104665
21. Annon J (1974) The behavioral treatment of sexual problems. Enabling Systems, Honolulu
22. Bober S, Carter J, Falk S (2013) Addressing female sexual function after cancer by internists and primary care providers. J Sex Med 10:112–9
23. Wang LY, Pierdomenico A, Lefkowitz A, Brandt R (2015) Female sexual health training for oncology providers: New applications. Sex Med 3:189–97
24. Althof SE, Rosen RC, Perelman MA, Rubio-Aurioles E (2013) Standard operating procedures for taking a sexual history. J Sex Med 10:26–35
Published
2022-09-30
How to Cite
Katz, A. (2022). Communicating about Sexual Problems. Psycho-Oncologie, 16(3). Retrieved from https://ojs.piscomed.com/index.php/PO/article/view/3932
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