- Facts
- Anders
- 06 mei 2022
- Last updated: 05 May 2022
According to the doctor-researcher, the extent to which patients talk about sex varies greatly
Cancer treatments are often invasive for a person’s sexual health. Yet it is not self-evident that doctors and nurses discuss topics such as sexuality and intimacy with patients. This is what Esmée Krouwel, doctor-researcher at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) discovered. With her research she wants to highlight how important it is that this should change. She will defend her dissertation on Thursday 12 May.
“When it comes to sexuality and cancer, people often immediately think of breast or prostate cancer, while treatments for all kinds of cancer can negatively affect intimacy,” says Krouwel. “Surgical procedures, for example, can damage certain nerves. For example, chemotherapy can dry out the mucous membranes of the vagina and mouth. Furthermore, various treatments can affect a person’s hormones, appearance and self-image. A breast deposit and hair loss are well-known examples, but how about a stoma?”
Sexual health
According to the doctor-researcher, the extent to which patients talk about sex varies greatly: “There is still a lot of room for improvement.” She examined how healthcare professionals across the country speak to cancer patients about the impact of their treatments on their fertility and sexual function.
Why do healthcare workers prefer not to talk about sexuality? Krouwel asked among others oncological and plastic surgeons, radiotherapists, medical oncologists and nurses. They gave various reasons for not broaching the topics. Krouwel: “You will be surprised how often age plays a factor, as if the elderly no longer have sex! Time pressure is most often mentioned because if a patient wants to talk about sexuality, a cesspool can open up. And then? Doctors often state that they do not have the skills to provide the right treatment. They need specialists to refer to.”
Fertility
Krouwel also conducted research among patients and health care providers about getting cancer of childbearing age: “Fertility-preserving treatments can delay the treatment of cancer. Yet patients indicate that they sometimes find having a child just as important as surviving,” she explains. “It is all the more important that doctors discuss fertility with patients and not make assumptions. It also appears that a desire to have children can change after treatment with, for example, chemotherapy. It is therefore important that patients are referred to a fertility clinic in advance, regardless of their wishes at the time.”
Sick and Sex Foundation
As an extension of her research, Krouwel is working on drawing more attention to the subject. She is, among other things, co-author of the website of the Sick and Sex foundation. This site is full of advice about various diseases and how they affect or hinder sexuality. “It is an accessible site with general, reliable information. For example, we use videos to make the information accessible to people with low literacy skills.” According to her, the site is a hit: “There are already doctors who use it in the doctor’s office to help patients better!”
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- Name author and/or edited by: LUMC
- Photographer or photo agency: : INGImages
- Source for this article: : LUMC
- What is the URL for this resource?: https://www.lumc.nl/over-het-lumc/nieuws/2022/Mei/promotie-seksualiteit-in-de-spreekkamer/
- Original title: Promotion: Sexuality in the doctor’s office embarrasses oncologists
- Target audience: Healthcare Professionals, Students
- Datum: 2022-05-05