Purpose of review This review will discuss erectile dysfunction (ED) in prostate cancer patients following radical prostatectomy (RP). It will focus on the prevalence and current treatments for ED as well as the emotional impact of ED and the current psychosocial interventions designed to help patients cope with this side effect. Recent findings While there is a large discrepancy in prevalence rates of ED after RP, several recent studies have cited rates as high as 85%. The concept of “penile rehabilitation” is now the standard of practice to treat ED following RP. However, many men avoid seeking help or utilizing ED treatments. This avoidance is related to the shame, frustration, and distress many men with ED and their partners experience. Recent psychosocial interventions have been developed to facilitate the use of treatments and help men cope with ED. These interventions have shown initial promise, however, continued intervention development is needed to reduce distress and improve long-term erectile function (EF) outcomes. Summary ED is a significant problem following prostate cancer surgery. While there are effective medical treatments, the development of psychosocial interventions should continue to evolve to maximize the assistance we can give to men and their partners.

Problem Identification Oral anticancer medication (OAM) use has been steadily increasing, leading to several patient benefits. A notable challenge for nurses is accurate monitoring of patient OAM regimens because nonadherence is associated with poor health outcomes and decreased survival. Currently, no gold standard measure of OAM adherence exists. The authors conducted a systematic review of the association between objective and patient-reported measures of OAM adherence. Literature Search A systematic electronic literature search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, PsycINFO®, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CINAHL® databases through November 2014. Data Evaluation Articles were independently reviewed to determine whether they included an original characterization of the level of association between objective and patient-reported measures of OAM adherence. Synthesis From a total of 11,135 articles retrieved, eight studies met inclusion criteria. Objective adherence was primarily assessed using pill counts or Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMSCap™). Patient-reported adherence was most commonly assessed using study-specific questionnaires. Significant positive correlations were observed between objective and patient-reported adherence across most studies, with three studies reporting higher rates of adherence via patient reporting. Conclusions Despite variation in the OAMs and measures used, patient-reported adherence rates were equal to or higher than objective adherence measures across studies. Social desirability bias may be a concern; however, given the significant concordance observed, using patient-reported methods in future studies of OAM adherence may be justified. Implications for Nursing This review provides evidence to support nursing use of patient-reported measures to accurately monitor OAM adherence and potentially improve the quality of patient–provider communication.

Objective Blacks have the highest incidence and mortality rates for prostate cancer (PCa) in the U.S. Black PCa patients (PCaP) also report high psychological distress. Identifying culturally specific coping strategies that lower distress among Black PCaP could help improve psychological interventions for this group. African‐centered coping (strategies unique to the structure of Black personality and the African‐centered worldview) have been identified. We hypothesized that these coping strategies and resilience would be associated with lower psychological distress (anxiety and depression) in Black PCaP. Methods Black PCaP (N = 95) completed a survey assessing African‐centered coping strategies, resilience, anxiety, and depression. Multiple regression was employed to examine African‐centered coping strategies and resilience as predictors of psychological distress. Results Participants were aged M = 67 ± 9 years and 52% had late‐stage PCa. Twenty percent met criteria for clinically significant anxiety, and 17% for depression. African‐centered coping strategies were not associated with lower anxiety or depression, while resilience was associated with decreased anxiety (r = −0.45, p < 0.001) and depression (r = −0.54, p < 0.001). Mediation analyses did not support an indirect association among African‐centered coping strategies, resilience, and anxiety and depression. Conclusions Contrary to hypotheses, African‐centered coping strategies were not associated with psychological distress. However, as predicted, greater resilience was associated with lower anxiety and depression. These findings support the relevancy of resilience in Blacks' psychological adjustment to PCa. It might be worthwhile to explore African‐centered coping strategies that help Black PCaP cope with distress.

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