Clinical Needs Assessment for Sexual Health Among Cancer Patients Receiving Pelvic Radiation: Implications for Development of a Radiation Oncology Sexual Health Clinic

Publication date: Available online 21 November 2017
Source:Practical Radiation Oncology
Author(s): JY Wo, LC Drapek, A Niemierko, B Silvia, BN Noé, AL Russo, DT Miyamoto, TS Hong, JA Efstathiou, AL Zietman, DS Dizon
BackgroundCancer patients treated using pelvic irradiation (RT) often experience sexual health related side effects during and following treatment. A clinical needs assessment was used to evaluate sexual health needs and to determine how needs differed between patients receiving and who had completed RT.MethodsA questionnaire was used to evaluate sexual health needs among patients treated with pelvic RT. All answers were rated using a 4-point Likert scale. Convenience sampling was used, and patients were stratified by whether they were on-treatment or in follow-up. Charts were reviewed for demographic, diagnostic, and treatment information. Pearson's χ² test and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the associations between sexual health-related topics and clinical variables.ResultsA total of 107 of 109 (98%) invited patients completed the questionnaire (46 female, 61 male; 52 undergoing RT, 54 completed RT). Most (75%) reported some degree of change in sexual health from the effects of cancer and/or treatment; 22% and 28% reported "quite a bit" or "very much" of a change, respectively. Sixty-nine percent reported they experienced some degree of distress due to sexual health changes (28% reported "very much" or "quite a bit" of distress). Seventy-six percent "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that they were interested in access to a multidisciplinary sexual health clinic (MSHC). Compared with patients currently receiving RT, patients in follow-up were significantly more likely to report worsening degrees of "change" (p=0.008) and "distress" (p=0.04), and express interest in having access to a MSHC (p=0.03).ConclusionMajority of patients receiving pelvic RT reported a change in sexual health with associated distress, with more reports among those in follow-up. Patients undergoing pelvic RT expressed a high interest in attending a radiation oncology MSHC. Our findings emphasize the important role radiation oncologists can play in the quality of life of our patients.



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