Determination of Changes in the Sexual Lives of Young Women Receiving Breast Cancer Treatment: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This qualitative study was performed to identify changes in the sexual lives of young women receiving breast cancer treatment. The study was conducted with eight exclusively self-defined heterosexual married women whose breast cancer treatments were ongoing in the ambulatory chemotherapy unit. The data were collected through semistructured and in-depth individual interviews. All interviews were tape-recorded. The raw results were obtained by analyzing the content of the recorded data. In this study, the subject of the interviews was penile-vaginal intercourse, as the participants perceived sexuality as equivalent to penile-vaginal intercourse. The changes in the sexual lives of young women receiving breast cancer treatment were analyzed according to three themes as follows: (1) intermittent penile-vaginal intercourse, (2) sexual activity initiated by the male and (3) sexual dysfunction. This study assists health professionals in recognizing changes in young women's sexual lives. Thus, healthcare professionals can provide couples with appropriate counseling to promote healthier sexuality and maintain a higher quality of life.

Opinions of Individuals Who have had Myocardial Infarction About Sex

“…In Turkish society, although people consider sexual activity as a fundamental requirement of life, at the same time they avoid talking about sex and view it as a taboo subject due to their cultural background, religious beliefs and traditions and customs [23,24].…”

“…The fact that heart disease is present during older ages especially in the female, cardiovascular changes and the effect of drugs also increase sexual dysfunction [5,13,16,34]. Nevertheless, due to the importance attached to family integrity, females' regarding making their men happy as their duty and men as leaders of the family and religious and cultural beliefs, most women do not dare to refuse men's sexual wishes and therefore experience a sexual relationship without enjoying it [23,24].…”

La théorisation enracinée dans l’étude de la transition des perceptions de l’état de santé de femmes atteintes d’un cancer du sein

“…Ses conséquences sur la famille, la communauté et la société sont désastreuses, notamment à cause de l'association de cette maladie à la mort et à des statistiques incertaines sur la guérison hypothétique (Banning & Tanzeem, 2013;Saillant, 1988). De plus, la femme qui reçoit une telle nouvelle vit fréquemment un bouleversement important dans ses rôles sociaux puisque le cancer a un impact sur son niveau d'énergie, son image corporelle et sa sexualité (Al-Azri, Al-Awisi, & Al-Moundhri, 2009;Boehmke & Dickerson, 2006;Cebeci, Yangin, & Tekeli, 2010;Denieffe & Gooney, 2011;Fobair, Stewart, Chang, DʼOnofrio, Banks, & Bloom, 2006). Les femmes doivent donc traverser un processus, soit une transition entre les perceptions qu'elles avaient de la santé et du cancer avant de recevoir l'annonce du diagnostic et ces mêmes perceptions après une telle nouvelle menaçante tout en luttant pour leur vie.…”

Opinions of Unmarried Patients Receiving Peritoneal Dialysis Treatment About Sexuality

“…In Turkey, it is especially difficult for women to talk about sex without reservations as sex is usually regarded as a matter of shame and sin. Most Turkish women have an active sexual life within marriage, and learn about sexuality together with their spouses [8].…”