To assess sexual relationships of female cancer survivors aged 20 to 60 yrs with their spouse post cancer treatment : A prospective observational study

Introduction:

Now Cancer is considered as a chronic disease. [1]Undergoing cancer treatment is likely to cause some level of sexual dysfunction at some point during diagnosis, treatment, and/or long-term survival. Dysfunction may be due to the disease process, short- and long-term treatment-related side effects, problems with co-morbidities/their treatments, psychosocial issues including problems with relationships, psychological conditions, or concerns, or a combination of any of these factors. These problems can lead tovarious sexual issues , non intimate relationships and other discomfortness, loss of interest towards sexual pleasure etc. [2]

Talking with patients about their sexual health is laden with many fears and concerns.

The need for a comprehensive and problem specific asessment of patients for sexual issues associated with post treatment is felt by many reserachers.[2] In Indian scenario with cultural and ethical boundaries, talking about sex or sex related problems is still a taboo and so are not freely discussed.[3]

 Very few studies have been conducted so far hence the idea to conduct a study was conceptualised.

 Objectives

To assess sexual relationships of female cancer survivors aged 20 to 60 yrs with their spouse post cancer treatment.

 Ethics Committee Approval and CTRI registration:

The institutional ethics committee approval will be obtained before starting the study. CTRI registration will be done.

 Materials and Methods:

Study design: Single-center, prospective observational study

 Setting and participants:

Female cancer survivors with any type of cancer.

 **Subjects: Sample size:**82

Sampling method: A convenience sample

 Inclusion and Exclusion criteria:

 

Inclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria

|Female Cancer survivors

Suffering from any severe psychiatric illness

|Age group 20years – 60 years

Those who are not sexually active

|

 Informed written concent will be obtained from the eligible Cancer Survivors who are willing to participate in the study. The concept of the study will be explained to the cancer survivors by audio visual method. The patients’ responses will be recorded by the interview technique by a Counsellor.

Measures:

The following questionnaires will be used for collecting the data.

· Demographic details of the Cancer Survivors: Psycho Assessment Form

· A questionnaire for structured interview: A questionnaire of 18 questions was prepared. Each question has responses ranging from 1 to 5, where 1=Not at all , 2=little bit, 3=Some what, 4=Very Much, and 5=Dont Know. The questionnaire was validated for its content by a panel of experts including a sexologist, a psychiatrist, a gynaecologist, a medical oncologist and an oncosurgeon.

  Duration of the study: Approximately 6 months

 Data Analysis:

Data will be analyzed using appropriate software and tests.

 Results: The results will be evaluated and interpreted and conclusions will be drawn.

 References:

1. Phillips JL, Currow DC. Cancer as a chronic disease. Collegian. 2010 Jul 1;17(2):47-50.

2. Krebs LU. Sexual assessment in cancer care: concepts, methods, and strategies for success. InSeminars in oncology nursing 2008 May 1 (Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 80-90). WB Saunders.

 3. Shankar A, Prasad N, Roy S, Chakraborty A, Biswas AS, Patil J, Rath GK. Sexual dysfunction in females after cancer treatment: an unresolved issue. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention: APJCP. 2017;18(5):1177.