Purpose: Penile cancer is a rare but highly treatable condition. Whilst over 80% survive for over five years, treatment can have a significant impact on quality of life. There has been little research conducted to date on men's experiences of treatment for penile cancer; The Patients Experiences of Penile Cancer study (PEPC) aimed to redress this shortfall by exploring men's experiences of surgical treatment for penile cancer.Method: Data were collected using two methods; an initial narrative oral history followed by a semistructured interview. Maximum variation sampling was used to acquire the widest possible range of experiences. Twenty-seven interviews were conducted with men with an average age of 63 years at diagnosis (range = 41 -82). The data were analysed using constant comparison analysis. Results:The physical impact of surgery was inter-connected with broader events in the lives of the men experiencing treatment. These experiences cover urinary function, sexual function and sexual relationships, healing and recovery, masculinity, mental well-being, coping and support. Conclusions:A key area for the development of care is to devise and evaluate procedures for ensuring that men are well-informed about the extent and potential consequences of their treatment. Men's experiences of penile cancer surgery will be informed by a complex web interlaced with their broader life making it difficult for health professionals to judge how surgery will impact on a men presenting to them. Further research is required to ascertain the most appropriate strategies for rehabilitation of men experiencing penile cancer surgery.

Aim: To determine the effects of a community-based training programme in self-care on the lay population. Background: Self Care is recognised as being a cornerstone of the populations health, but to date there have been few large-scale studies of its effectiveness on the general public. This paper reports on an evaluation of a self-care skills training course delivered in small group sessions within workplace and parent and toddler group settings to a lay population. Methods: A quasi-experimental longitudinal study of 12-month duration was conducted in three intervention primary care trusts (PCTs) and two similar comparison PCTs in England. The sample comprised 1568 selfselecting participants: 868 received the intervention and 700 did not. Findings: No changes were seen in usage of General Practitioner services, the primary outcome, however, statistical analysis suggested that being in the intervention group may be associated with increased use of out-of-hours and secondary care services. At six months' follow-up small but statistically significant positive effects of being in the intervention group were seen on self-esteem, well-being and anxiety scores. At 12 months' follow-up small but statistically significant positive effects of being in the intervention group were also seen on recovery locus of control, health literacy and self-esteem scores, and on knowledge of adult cough. The clinical significance of these very small changes is unclear.The training programme had a small but positive effect, which was still evident at 12 months, on individuals' knowledge and confidence levels with regard to managing their own health, but did not lead to reductions in health service use.

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Aim: To explore how men with penile cancer construct humour in relation to their diagnosis and treatment.Background: Functionalist, relief and incongruity theories attempt to account for humour but there is a dearth of empirical evidence in nursing care. This is particularly so in relation to a condition like penile cancer where some nurses think that humour in their interactions with patients would be inappropriate.Design: The study employed a participative, mixed-qualitative-methods design.Method: Focus groups and patient-conducted interviews were both used during a one-day

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