In the present study, we propose a mixed methods approach to characterize and address the sexual health needs among women with breast cancer at the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment.
In the present study, we propose a mixed methods approach to characterize and address the sexual health needs among women with breast cancer at the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment. The objectives are as follows: 1. To characterize the sexual well-being of women longitudinally throughout the continuum of care, from initial diagnosis into survivorship. We predict that treatment will adversely affect sexual well-being, and that patient factors, clinical factors, and treatment choices will influence changes in sexual well-being. 2. To identify gaps is sexual health education provided at the time of diagnosis or during treatment and to determine the appropriate timing of sexual health education delivery.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
93
Providers with extensive training and expertise in the subject will lead the virtual focus groups over Zoom using a semi-structured guide. Topics will focus on education received from the health care team, information received from outside sources, and patient recommendations on the type and timing of information preferred. We will create an analytic report based on the focus group findings, which will be used to inform the development of educational material. Sexual well-being is currently measured longitudinally on a 0-100 point scale as a component of a validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) survey (BREAST-Q) distributed to all breast cancer patients. These scores will be analyzed in patients with and without educational interventions for comparison.
University of Colorado Hospital
Aurora, Colorado, United States
Determine changes in sexual well-being for women with breast cancer
Determine changes in sexual well-being throughout the course of breast cancer treatment, pre- and post-implementation of developed educational materials using the Sexual Health Among Women Receiving Breast Cancer Treatment Survey
Time frame: 1 year
Determine educational resources currently used for sexual health information
Determine patients' self reported list of educational media received regarding sexual health during breast cancer treatment using the PROM survey (BREAST-Q)
Time frame: 1 year
Determine educational resources currently used for sexual health information
Determine patients' self reported list of educational media received regarding sexual health during breast cancer treatment using the Sexual Health Among Women Receiving Breast Cancer Treatment Survey
Time frame: 1 year
Determine patients preferred type of education for sexual health
Determine the patients preferred type and timing of educational interventions for sexual health using the Sexual Health Among Women Receiving Breast Cancer Treatment Survey
Time frame: 1 year
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.