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Abstract
Introduction. The article presents the findings of research on changes in sexuality following breast cancer (BC) therapy. The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with changes in sexuality in women with BC.
Materials and methods. The study included 56 female with a mean age of 31.6±7.9 years who completed antitumor treatment for early-stage hormone-positive HER2-negative BC, stages I (57.1%) and II (42.8%).
The methods applied are the Body Image States Scale (BISS), the Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships (PAIR), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Asthenic State Scale (ASS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Assessment of Needs for Psychosexual Rehabilitation questionnaire. The group mean scale values were assessed.
Results. Physical symptoms such as pain during sex (FSFI, M=1,71,70.12), difficulty achieving orgasm (M=10.73) and sexual arousal (M=1,61,1), decreased sexual desire (M=1,70.12) and satisfaction with sex (M=1,30.29) played an important role in reducing overall sexual activity in the group of women under study (M=72.17). 64% of women showed negative feelings about body image and its association with sexual and emotional intimacy on the PAIR scale.
According to the multivariate analysis, two categories of factors have a negative impact on sexual functioning: physical, such as postoperative changes (HR 0.91; CI [0.22, 0.94]; p<0.05), hormone therapy (hormone therapy (HR 0.96; CI [0.32, 0.98]; p<0.05), fatigue (HR 0.27; CI [0.25, 0.81]; p<0.05); socio-psychological, such as body image (HR 0.92; CI [0.16, 0.95]; p<0.05), clinical symptoms of depression (HR 0.66; CI [0.31, 0.97]; p<0.05), absence of a permanent partner (HR 0.94; CI [0.77, 0.99]; p<0.05) and intimacy with a partner (HR 0.81; CI [0.74, 0.97]; p<0.05).
Conclusion. Sexual health problems play a significant role in the process of recovery after breast cancer treatment and have an impact on the social and psychological adaptation of women, even several years after the treatment was discontinued.
References
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