The Healthcare Workers’ Awareness and Support regarding the Sexuality of Cancer Patients, Their Families and Their Partners

ABSTRACT

<p>Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the healthcare workers’ awareness and support regarding the sexuality of cancer patients, their families. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire survey was conducted on the healthcare workers in Shikoku Cancer Center on May 2014. Results: Four hundred and fifty-seven (84.9%) workers responded to the questionnaire. It was 29.8% who have communicated about sexual issues with patients and their families, 67.0% acknowledged the necessity of supporting them. In the group which had experience in communicating about sexual issues and participating in study meetings of sexuality, there were more healthcare workers who acknowledged the necessity of support significantly (aware group). In the aware group, the reasons why they hesitated and felt difficulty in communicating about sexual issues were that they had no chances to communicate with patients about sexual issues (93.5%), they didn’t know whether the patients needed intervention of healthcare workers (89.2%), they felt lack of their knowledge of support regarding sexuality (89.2%), and they felt lack of their skill of support regarding sexuality (88.9%). In the aware group, in order to get knowledge and information about sexuality, books and brochures which could be introduced to the patients and their families (96.4%) were considered to be most wanted. Conclusion: We have to make an effort so that all healthcare workers recognize the importance of the necessity of communicating about sexual issues with the patients, their families and their partners.</p>