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Importance of sexuality in colorectal cancer: predictors, changes, and response to an intimacy enhancement intervention

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Abstract

Purpose

The primary objectives were (1) to examine the importance of sexuality within the self-view and cross-sectional correlates for 120 colorectal cancer patients and (2) to determine whether the importance of sexuality changed for 46 colorectal cancer patients and partners participating in an intimacy enhancement intervention.

Methods

Two newly developed items assessed importance of sexuality within the self-view (1) currently and (2) before cancer; a calculated change score assessed perceived change. In the cross-sectional sample, associations between importance of sexuality and demographic and medical factors and sexual function status were examined. Intervention participants’ importance ratings before and after participation were used to calculate effect sizes.

Results

For patients, importance of sexuality before cancer was greater (M = 65.7) than current importance (M = 56.8, p = .001). Greater current importance of sexuality was associated with partnered status, non-metastatic disease, and not being in treatment. Scoring in the sexually functional range was associated with greater current importance of sexuality for men and a smaller perceived change in importance for both men and women (p values <.05). Sexual function status also significantly predicted current importance independent of covariates. Small to medium effect sizes for intervention patients (.37) and partners (.60) were found for increases in importance of sexuality. Items showed evidence of test-retest reliability and construct validity.

Conclusions

Coping with sexual concerns is important to those affected by colorectal cancer. Findings suggest that the importance of sexuality can decrease through colorectal cancer and associated sexual problems and can increase through participating in an intimacy-focused intervention.

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Notes

  1. To be consistent with the bulk of analyses, these tests were conducted among partnered patients only.

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Acknowledgments

When conducting this study, Dr. Reese was supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant, PF-09-154-01-CPPB, from the American Cancer Society. Dr. Reese is currently supported by Mentored Research Scholar Grant, MRSG-14-031-01-CPPB, from the American Cancer Society.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19111, USA

    Jennifer Barsky Reese

  2. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA

    Jennifer Barsky Reese

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Dr., Suite 100, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA

    Jennifer A. Haythornthwaite

Authors
  1. Jennifer Barsky Reese
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  2. Jennifer A. Haythornthwaite
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer Barsky Reese.

Ethics declarations

Institutional Review Board approval was obtained, and patients provided informed consent.

Conflict of interest

The authors do not have any conflicts of interest to report. The primary author controls all primary data and agrees to allow the journal to review the data if requested.

Additional information

This study was conducted when Dr. Reese was located within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Dr., Suite 100, Baltimore, MD, 21224.

Relevance to informing research policies and/or programs

The current study supports and extends models of coping with threats to sexual function and activity for individuals affected by cancer by suggesting that beliefs about one’s sexuality may change in response to both life-altering medical diagnoses and related interventions. These issues are of interest to the growing number of cancer survivors likely to face long-term sexual consequences of their cancer treatments.

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Reese, J.B., Haythornthwaite, J.A. Importance of sexuality in colorectal cancer: predictors, changes, and response to an intimacy enhancement intervention. Support Care Cancer 24, 4309–4317 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3265-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3265-4

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