Filling in the gaps: Sociodemographic and medical predictors of sexual health and other supportive care needs, and desire for help in gynecological cancer survivors

Megan McCallum; Lynne Jolicoeur; Monique Lefebvre; Lyzon K Babchishin; Tien Le; Sophie Lebel

doi:10.5737/23688076273251258

Filling in the gaps: Sociodemographic and medical predictors of sexual health and other supportive care needs, and desire for help in gynecological cancer survivors

Can Oncol Nurs J. 2017 Jul 1;27(3):251-258. doi: 10.5737/23688076273251258. eCollection 2017 Summer.

Authors

Megan McCallum¹, Lynne Jolicoeur², Monique Lefebvre³, Lyzon K Babchishin¹, Tien Le⁴, Sophie Lebel¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON.
² The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, Ottawa, ON.
³ Psychology Department, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
⁴ Division of Gynecologic-Oncology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.

Abstract

Purpose: The goal of the present study was to evaluate predictors of unmet supportive care needs and readiness for help among gynecological cancer patients.

Methods: A sample of 113 gynecological cancer survivors completed a measure of needs and desire for help. Regression analyses identified sociodemographic and medical predictors of patient needs and desire for help.

Results: Younger age and shorter time since treatment were the strongest predictors of many unmet needs. Younger age and chemotherapy predicted greater unmet sexual health needs. Shorter time since treatment predicted readiness for help with informational needs.

Conclusions: Post-treatment unmet needs are diverse and may be greater in younger and recently treated survivors. Chemotherapy treatment may contribute to greater sexual health needs.