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A randomized trial of a minimal intervention for sexual concerns after cancer: a comparison of self-help and professionally delivered modalities

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Cancer, September 2015
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  • In the top 25% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (90th percentile)
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (96th percentile)

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2 news outlets
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40 Dimensions

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Title
A randomized trial of a minimal intervention for sexual concerns after cancer: a comparison of self-help and professionally delivered modalities
Published in
BMC Cancer, September 2015
DOI 10.1186/s12885-015-1638-6
Pubmed ID
Authors

Janette Perz, Jane M Ussher, The Australian Cancer and Sexuality Study Team

Abstract

Information and discussion of sexual changes with a health professional is a high priority for many cancer patients in order to assist with sexual changes and ensure that sexual intimacy does not cease post-cancer. The PLISSIT model is widely recommended as a framework for providing sexual information and support, allowing for the discussion of sexual changes at various levels of increasing intensity. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the early stages of the PLISSIT model by examining the relative efficacy of written information provision about cancer related sexual changes, and information provision accompanied by a single session of counselling, for people with cancer and their partners, across a range of cancer types. Eighty-eight people with cancer and 53 partners across a range of sexual and non-sexual cancers, took part in a randomised trial which adopted mixed method analysis to examine changes in psychological wellbeing, quality of life, relationship satisfaction and communication, and sexual functioning, following written information provision about cancer related sexual changes (self-help condition; SH), or written information accompanied by a single session of counselling (health professional condition; HP). Ratings of the usefulness and efficacy of the SH and HP interventions, collected through analysis of Likert scales, open ended survey items and interviews, indicated that both conditions were found to be useful and efficacious by the majority of participants, serving to increase awareness of sexuality, improve couple communication about sex, and help in the management of sexual changes, through the exploration of non-coital sexual practices. In contrast, the quantitative analysis of standardized instruments found no significant improvements in psychological wellbeing, quality of life, relationship satisfaction and communication, or sexual functioning. There were significant reductions in self-silencing in the HP condition, and a trend towards increases in sexual satisfaction across both conditions. These results offer support for the early stages of the PLISSIT model, in terms of normalization and increased awareness of sexual changes after cancer, increased couple communication about sexual changes, and legitimation of exploration of a range of non-coital sexual practices and intimacy. However, more complex and intensive interventions are needed to address sexual functioning and psychological wellbeing. The findings provide support for the proposition that providing permission to discuss sexuality should be the core feature underpinning all stages of interventions designed to provide sexuality information and support for people with cancer and their partners, and also demonstrate the potential importance of limited information and specific suggestions. This study was registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. ( ACTRN12615000399594 ) on 29 April 2015.

X Demographics

X Demographics

The data shown below were collected from the profile of 1 X user who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 111 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 111 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Bachelor 17 15%
Student > Master 15 14%
Student > Ph. D. Student 12 11%
Student > Doctoral Student 11 10%
Researcher 9 8%
Other 16 14%
Unknown 31 28%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Psychology 24 22%
Nursing and Health Professions 23 21%
Medicine and Dentistry 14 13%
Unspecified 3 3%
Social Sciences 3 3%
Other 5 5%
Unknown 39 35%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 18. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 02 June 2017.
All research outputs
#1,799,975
of 23,314,015 outputs
Outputs from BMC Cancer
#277
of 8,440 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#25,630
of 268,256 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Cancer
#7
of 191 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,314,015 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 92nd percentile: it's in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 8,440 research outputs from this source. They receive a mean Attention Score of 4.4. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 96% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 268,256 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 90% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 191 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 96% of its contemporaries.