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Sexuality in men after prostate cancer surgery: a qualitative interview study
Author(s) -
Schantz Laursen Birgitte
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of caring sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.678
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1471-6712
pISSN - 0283-9318
DOI - 10.1111/scs.12328
Subject(s) - human sexuality , quality of life (healthcare) , qualitative research , prostate cancer , interpretative phenomenological analysis , sex life , psychology , clinical psychology , erectile dysfunction , medicine , affect (linguistics) , sexual dysfunction , cancer , psychotherapist , gender studies , psychiatry , sociology , social science , communication
Prostate cancer affects a growing number of men. Although erectile dysfunction is a well‐known side effect, its impact on sex life and sexuality is under‐researched. Purpose The aim of this study was therefore to elucidate the effect of surgical treatment for prostate cancer on men's sexuality. Methods Data for the descriptive qualitative study were collected in interviews. The author applied a phenomenological–hermeneutic frame of understanding. Results Four themes appeared in the analysis of the interviews: lack of control, sense of self, intimate relations and redefining sexuality. Conclusion Men experience erectile dysfunction as a negative influence on their sexuality with respect to their sex life, sense of self and intimate relations. The dysfunction is thus shown not only to affect sexual life but also to have repercussions for a range of aspects in male intimate life. A broader perspective should be applied in supporting the men's efforts towards improving their quality of life, for example through sexual counselling services performed by nurses.