Korean J Women Health Nurs.  2006 Dec;12(4):308-315.

Sexual Functioning in Women with Gynecologic Cancer

• Chun N
• Park YS

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify sexual functioning in women with gynecologic cancer. METHOD: Sexually active women with gynecologic cancer without evidence of distant metastasis were recruited in Seoul, Korea from a university medical center. Subjects were asked to complete an anonymous mail-back survey on their sexual functioning. RESULT: One hundred eighty four women completed questionnaires. Their mean age was 51.0 years and 96.2% lived with their husbands. Subjects were diagnosed with cervical cancer(53.8%), ovarian cancer (27.7%), or endometrial cancer(18.5%). Sexual functioning for women with gynecologic cancer was relatively low, 15.4, in comparison to Rosen's cutoff scores of 26.6. Univariate analyses indicated that age, employment status, and their monthly income were significantly associated with sexual functioning. Tumor staging, treatment modality, and hormone replacement therapy were also significantly associated factors with women's sexual functioning. Sexual arousal, orgasm, and pain were affected by time since last treatment.
CONCLUSION
Sexual counselling or education for women with gynecologic cancer should be considered by medical professionals in order to improve their quality of life including sexual functioning.

Keyword

Sexual functioning; Gynecologic cancer

MeSH Terms

Academic Medical Centers
Anonyms and Pseudonyms
Arousal
Education
Employment
Female
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Humans
Korea
Neoplasm Metastasis
Neoplasm Staging
Orgasm
Ovarian Neoplasms
Quality of Life
Surveys and Questionnaires
Seoul
Spouses