Health Care : Current Reviews

Post-treatment sexual adjustment of Taiwanese women following gynecological cancer: A qualitative study

Global Healthcare & Fitness Summit

July 20-22, 2015 San Francisco, USA

Jian Tao Lee1, Helene H Lin2, Jia Ling Tsai1, 3, Ching-Ping Chen4, Kuan-Gen Huang1 and Angela Shin-Yu Lien1, 3

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Health Care: Current Reviews

Abstract:

Background: The experience of cancer and its treatments significantly challenges sexual expression and partner relationships
often requiring survivors to negotiate many physical, psychological, social/relational and cultural factors that impact
psychosexual functioning especially for gynecological cancer survivors.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the sexual adjustment experience of Taiwanese women after treatment for
gynecological cancer.
Material & Methods: Data for this phenomenological study were collected during in-depth, semi-structured interviews with
11 women purposively recruited from outpatients of the gynecological clinic of a medical center in northern Taiwan. Interview
data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method.
Results: Data analysis yielded four themes: Awareness and uncertainty about the stability of couple relationship, Working to
fulfill their sex role and ongoing sex life, Looking for a reasonably acceptable way to fulfill the sex role, Allowing a sex surrogate
to compensate for inability to fulfill marital role and Symbolic behaviors to replace intimacy of sexual relationship.
Conclusions: This woman-centered view of the sexual adjustment experience of Taiwanese gynecological cancer survivors can
help healthcare professionals understand and educate their clients about women’s sexual expression and coping strategies after
cancer treatment.