Lack of communication between healthcare professionals and women with ovarian cancer about sexual issues

TLDR

Gynecological cancer impairs sexual functioning, yet healthcare professionals rarely discuss sexual issues with patients, and few studies explain this communication gap. The study aimed to examine doctors’ and nurses’ attitudes and behaviours toward discussing sexual issues with ovarian cancer patients and to capture the patients’ experiences of such communication. Data were collected from 27 doctors and 16 nurses at a single centre, assessing their attitudes, behaviours, and the patients’ perspectives on sexual communication. Although most clinicians believed most women would experience sexual problems, only a quarter of doctors and a fifth of nurses actually discussed them, citing responsibility, embarrassment, lack of knowledge, and resource constraints, indicating a clear need to improve communication, though the optimal approach remains unclear.

Abstract

Gynaecological cancer has been shown to affect women's sexual functioning, yet evidence suggests that healthcare professionals rarely discuss sexual issues with women diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer. Few studies have investigated why there is a lack of communication between healthcare professionals and women about sexual issues. Our study investigated the attitudes and behaviours of the 27 doctors and 16 nurses treating women with ovarian cancer in our centre towards the discussion of sexual issues, and also investigated women's experiences of such communication. Our findings showed that although most healthcare professionals thought that the majority of women with ovarian cancer would experience a sexual problem, only a quarter of doctors and a fifth of nurses actually discussed sexual issues with the women. Reasons for not discussing sexual issues included 'it is not my responsibility', 'embarrassment', 'lack of knowledge and experience' and 'lack of resources to provide support if needed'. While some of these reasons were also viewed as barriers by the women, the results demonstrate that there is a need from the women's perspective to improve communication about sexual issues, although the most appropriate approach to this remains to be investigated.