Breast and Pelvic Cancer Survivors' Preferences for Psychosexual Interventions to Address Sexual Health Concerns: A Qualitative Study.

Abstract

Objective: Breast and pelvic cancer patients commonly experience sexual dysfunction post-treatment. This study qualitatively examined breast and pelvic cancer survivors' preferences for the delivery and content of psychosexual interventions to address their sexual health concerns post-cancer treatment.

Methods: We conducted one-on-one, semi-structured qualitative interviews with 35 female and gender-diverse breast and pelvic cancer survivors who had completed radiotherapy at least 12 months prior to enrollment. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Patients preferred a therapist who specialized in sexual health to help them with their sexual concerns. Patients preferred to engage in psychosexual interventions after active treatment was complete. While some patients expected to receive validation and support from a psychosexual intervention in a group format, other patients preferred a one-on-one format due to cultural values which stressed the importance of keeping sexual health concerns private. Finally, patients had several preferences for psychosexual intervention content based on their current unmet psychosexual needs: (a) psychosexual education, (b) help with managing negative thoughts and emotions around sex, (c) communication skills around sex, and (d) help with being flexible in the face of sexual side effects.

Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of integrating medical and psychosexual support for breast and pelvic cancer survivors. These results indicate a need to improve training for mental health providers in assessing and treating sexual health concerns, to examine how cultural values may impact patients' preferences for engaging in psychosexual interventions, and to consider the potential impact of sexual script flexibility interventions in this population.