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Comparison of the Effects of the PLISSIT Model Versus the Sexual Health Model on Quality of Life Among Women with Breast Cancer

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Abstract

Introduction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of individual therapy (PLISSIT Model) versus group therapy (Sexual Health Model) on the quality of life of Iranian women with breast cancer.

Methods

Three-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial conducted on 75 women with breast cancer attended to Mehraneh Charity Center in Zanjan in 2015–2016. The participants were allocated into three groups of the PLISSIT model, the SHM, and a routine care group. The study tool included demographic checklist and quality of life questionnaire, which completed by all groups at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks follow-ups. Data were analyzed using chi-square, ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis, and Friedman tests.

Results

At the baseline, there were no significant differences in dimensions of quality of life between the three groups. Also, at 6 and 12 weeks follow-ups, almost all dimensions of the quality of life in all groups improved significantly (all Ps < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences between the three groups at these phases.

Conclusion

The study revealed that both the PLISSIT Model and grouped SHM have similar effects on improving the quality of life of women. There was not enough evidence of the superiority of one model over another.

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Abbreviations

ME:

Mina Esmkhani

EMK:

Effat Merghati Khoei

SHM:

Sexual health model

PLISSIT:

Permission, limited information, specific suggestion, intensive therapy

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Acknowledgments

The authors sincerely acknowledge the oncology clinic of Valiasr Hospital and Mehraneh charity clinic (clinic for the protection of cancer patients). Moreover, the authors acknowledge the oncologist Dr. Minush Moghimi and all of the administrative agents.

Funding

This trial is funded by Zanjan University of Medical Sciences (ZUMS.REC.1395.156). In this study tried to protect the rights of all participants and suppliers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

    Mina Esmkhani & Rhoghieh Kharaghani

  2. Department of Health Education and Promotion School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical, Tehran, Iran

    Elham Shakibazadeh

  3. Biostatistics, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

    Soghrat Faghihzadeh

  4. Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA

    Jeffrey E. Korte

  5. Iranian National Center of Addiction Studies, Sexual and Family Health Division in Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Effat Merghati-Khoei

Authors
  1. Mina Esmkhani
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  2. Rhoghieh Kharaghani
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  3. Elham Shakibazadeh
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  4. Soghrat Faghihzadeh
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  5. Jeffrey E. Korte
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  6. Effat Merghati-Khoei
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Contributions

Conception and Design: Mina Esmkhani, Effat Merghati Khoei, Roghieh Kharaghani, Elham Shakibazadeh. Acquisition of Data: Mina Esmkhani. Analysis and Interpretation of Data: Mina Esmkhani, Soghrat Faghihzadeh. Drafting the Article: Mina Esmkhani, Roghieh Kharaghani. Revising It for Intellectual Content: Mina Esmkhani, Effat Merghati Khoei, Jeffrey E. Korte, Elham Shakibazadeh, Roghieh Kharaghani. Final Approval of the Completed Article: Mina Esmkhani, Effat Merghati Khoei, Roghieh Kharaghani, Elham Shakibazadeh, Soghrat Faghihzadeh, Jeffrey.E Korte.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rhoghieh Kharaghani.

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Conflict of interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences. Informed consent obtained from all participants before participation in the study. Then after obtaining permission from the authorities of the Zanjan Cancer Clinic, obtaining permission from the research vice president and submitting the license to the sampling center, obtaining written and informed consent of the participants in the research, full introduction of the researcher to the participants to express the goals and method of work to the participants and to allow the person to step down at each stage of the research, and preservation of trusteeship about information obtained from research samples.

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Esmkhani, M., Kharaghani, R., Shakibazadeh, E. et al. Comparison of the Effects of the PLISSIT Model Versus the Sexual Health Model on Quality of Life Among Women with Breast Cancer. Sex Disabil 39, 85–96 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-020-09661-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-020-09661-0

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