This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Chambas, K. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Chambas, K. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Sexual Concerns of Adolescents With Cancer

4032 Mandan Cir, Madison, WI 53711

The sexually related concerns of adolescents with cancer were compared with those of healthy adolescents. Forty-one adolescents age 12 to 19 years participated. A sexual concerns questionnaire was used. The study had three primary objectives: (1) to identify concerns related to physical, emotional, and behavioral aspects of sexuality present among all adolescents in the study; (2) to determine if there were differences between sexual concerns of adolescents with cancer and those of healthy adolescents; and (3) to determine whether a relationship existed between age and the concerns adolescents had about sexuality. Results of the study indicate that although no age-linked trends in sexually related concerns existed for the adolescents studied, adolescents had concerns regarding sexuality. Adolescents with cancer did not seem to be any more concerned about common developmental aspects of sexuality than healthy adolescents. However, adolescents with cancer had numerous sexually related concerns not identified by healthy adolescents. These concerns seem to relate to being treated for cancer. They included worries about hair loss, feeling isolated, ability to have children, and children having genetic or congenital defects. Nurses who care for adolescents with cancer can provide education and support regarding sexual concerns to help adolescents cope with and resolve some of these treatment-related anxieties. Further research that includes in-depth, narrative interviews could give better insight into the concerns that both adolescents with cancer and healthy adolescents have about sexual issues.

Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, Vol. 8, No. 4, 165-172 (1991)
DOI: 10.1177/104345429100800404


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				U. Forinder and E. Posse `A life on hold': adolescents' experiences of stem cell transplantation in a long-term perspective J Child Health Care, December 1, 2008; 12(4): 301 - 313. [Abstract] [PDF]