Eaton Lisa, Kueck Angela, Maksut Jessica, Gordon Lori, Metersky Karen, Miga Ashley, Brewer Molly, Siembida Elizabeth, Bradley Alison
Center for Health Intervention and Prevention, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
NEAG Cancer Center Unit, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA.
Sex Med. 2017 Sep;5(3):e175-e183. doi: 10.1016/j.esxm.2017.04.002.
Sexual health is an important, yet overlooked, aspect of quality of life for gynecologic oncologic patients. Although patients with gynecologic cancer frequently report sexual health concerns, there are limited efforts to address these problems. A comprehensive understanding of the relationship between mental health and sexual health needs to be prioritized.
To examine multiple components of sexual health in patients with gynecologic cancer.
For the present study, sexual health concerns (ie, sexual frequency, desire, response, and satisfaction; orgasm; and pain during sex; independent variables), beliefs about cancer treatments affecting sexual health (dependent variable), and mental health (ie, anxiety and depressive symptoms; dependent variables) of patients at a US gynecologic oncology clinic were assessed.
Demographics; cancer diagnosis; positive screening results for cancer; sexual health histories including sexual frequency, desire, pain, orgasm, responsiveness, and satisfaction; and mental health including depression and anxiety symptoms.
Most women reported experiencing at least one sexual health concern, and half the women screened positive for experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Forty-nine percent of participants reported having no or very little sexual desire or interest in the past 6 months. Further, in mediation analyses, pain during sex was significantly and positively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = 0.42, P < .001), and this relationship was fully mediated by believing that cancer treatments affected one's sexual health (B = 0.16, 95% confidence interval = 0.01-0.48, P < .05).
Findings emphasize the need to further address and incorporate sexual and mental health into standard care for patients attending gynecologic oncology clinics. Screening women for whether and to what extent they perceive cancer treatments affecting their sexual health could provide a brief, easily administrable, screener for sexual health concerns and the need for further intervention. Intervention development for patients with gynecologic cancer must include mental health components and addressing perceptions of how cancer treatments affect sexual health functioning. Eaton L, Kueck A, Maksut J, et al. Sexual Health, Mental Health, and Beliefs About Cancer Treatments Among Women Attending a Gynecologic Oncology Clinic. Sex Med 2017;5:e175-e183.
性健康是妇科肿瘤患者生活质量的一个重要但常被忽视的方面。尽管妇科癌症患者经常报告性健康问题，但解决这些问题的努力有限。需要优先全面了解心理健康与性健康之间的关系。
研究妇科癌症患者性健康的多个组成部分。
在本研究中，对美国一家妇科肿瘤诊所患者的性健康问题（即性交频率、欲望、反应和满意度；性高潮；性交时的疼痛；自变量）、关于癌症治疗影响性健康的信念（因变量）以及心理健康（即焦虑和抑郁症状；因变量）进行了评估。
人口统计学特征；癌症诊断；癌症筛查阳性结果；性健康史，包括性交频率、欲望、疼痛、性高潮、反应能力和满意度；以及心理健康，包括抑郁和焦虑症状。
大多数女性报告至少存在一个性健康问题，且一半女性筛查出有抑郁和焦虑症状。49%的参与者报告在过去6个月中没有或几乎没有性欲或性兴趣。此外，在中介分析中，性交时的疼痛与抑郁症状显著正相关（r = 0.42，P <.001），并且这种关系完全由认为癌症治疗会影响个人性健康所介导（B = 0.16，95%置信区间 = 0.01 - 0.48，P <.05）。
研究结果强调有必要进一步解决并将性健康和心理健康纳入妇科肿瘤诊所患者的标准护理中。筛查女性对癌症治疗是否以及在何种程度上影响其性健康的认知，可为性健康问题及进一步干预需求提供一种简短、易于实施的筛查方法。针对妇科癌症患者的干预措施制定必须包括心理健康内容，并解决对癌症治疗如何影响性健康功能的认知问题。伊顿L、库克A、马克苏特J等。妇科肿瘤诊所女性的性健康、心理健康及对癌症治疗的信念。性医学2017；5：e175 - e183。
