Biopsychosocial predictors of sexual function and quality of sexual life: a study among patients with colorectal cancer.

Marjan Johanna Traa, Jan Anne Roukema, Jolanda De Vries, Harm Jozef Theodorus Rutten, Barbara Langenhoff, Walther Jansen, Brenda Leontine Den Oudsten*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: A low sexual function (SF) has been reported in patients with colorectal cancer. However, research often focusses on clinical predictors of SF, hereby omitting patients' subjective evaluation of SF [i.e., the quality of sexual life (QoSL)] and psychosocial predictors of SF and QoSL. In addition, research incorporating a biopsychosocial approach to SF and QoSL is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate (I) relatedness between SF and the QoSL, (II) the course of SF and QoSL, and (III) biopsychosocial predictors of SF and QoSL. METHODS: Patients completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic factors (i.e., age, sex) and personality characteristics (i.e., neuroticism, trait anxiety) before surgery. Questionnaires assessing psychological (i.e., anxious and depressive symptoms, body image, fatigue) and social (i.e., sexual activity, SF, non-sensuality, avoidance of sexual activity, non-communication, relationship function) aspects were measured preoperative and 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Clinical characteristics were obtained from the Eindhoven Cancer Registry (ECR). Bivariate correlations evaluated relatedness between SF and QoSL. Linear mixed-effects models examined biopsychosocial predictors of SF and QoSL. RESULTS: SF and QoSL are related constructs (r=0.206 to 0.642). Compared to preoperative scores, SF did not change over time (P>0.05). Overall, patients' QoSL decreased postoperatively (P=0.001). A higher age (beta=-0.02, P=0.006), fatigue (beta=-0.02, P=0.034), not being sexually active (beta=-0.081, P
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)206-217
Number of pages12
JournalTranslational Andrology and Urology
Volume4
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2015

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