Intimacy with Cancer: Program Development and Evaluation Addressing Sexual Health and  Intimacy with Cancer Survivors

Jacobs, Addie L.

Work

Intimacy with Cancer: Program Development and Evaluation Addressing Sexual Health and Intimacy with Cancer Survivors

Public Deposited

MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Jacobs, Addie L. Intimacy with Cancer: Program Development and Evaluation Addressing Sexual Health and Intimacy with Cancer Survivors. Polo, Katie M..University of Indianapolis. 2019. uindy.hykucommons.org/concern/generic_works/cabaaaa6-5e34-4450-9070-121a55d483c2.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

J. A. L. (2019). Intimacy with Cancer: Program Development and Evaluation Addressing Sexual Health and Intimacy with Cancer Survivors. https://uindy.hykucommons.org/concern/generic_works/cabaaaa6-5e34-4450-9070-121a55d483c2

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Jacobs, Addie L. Intimacy with Cancer: Program Development and Evaluation Addressing Sexual Health and Intimacy with Cancer Survivors. University of Indianapolis. 2019. https://uindy.hykucommons.org/concern/generic_works/cabaaaa6-5e34-4450-9070-121a55d483c2.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

The purpose of this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) was to develop and implement a program to address cancer survivors' sexual health and intimacy concerns at Cancer Support Community of Central Indiana. Program development consisted of a thorough literature review, needs assessments from staff and survivors, and tracking measured outcomes for informed changes. Needs assessments from various stakeholders were completed until saturation was met, followed by thematic analysis to generate key themes to incorporate in each sessions' topic. Key themes that emerged from staff and survivors that were addressed in this program included communication, loss of libido/sexual interest, defining intimacy, normalizing the topic of sexual health concerns, the importance of sex and intimacy, wanting to address sex and intimacy in a therapeutic setting, difficulty getting and maintaining an erection, activity modifications for intimate and sexual activity, adaptive devices and equipment for intimate and sexual activity, and the desire for partners to be included when addressing the topic. Eight participants, including survivors and spouses, attended one or more of the three sessions created for this program. Results indicated participants' scores regarding their sexual health concerns increased, with an average increase of 0.74 for performance and an average increase of 0.98 for satisfaction, as measured by the Occupational Performance Index of Sexuality and Intimacy (OPISI). All three group sessions' formative evaluations displayed an increase in knowledge from pre-survey to post-survey scores. Overall, this program has promise to effectively address sexual health concerns for survivors and will be continued at this community setting.

Creator