Care for Sexuality
Conversations in an oncological trajectory mainly focus on diagnosis and treatment. Concerns regarding sexuality and intimacy are rarely discussed. Oncological healthcare professionals acknowledge the importance of these conversations, but find it difficult to have them. However, it is essential that patients can discuss their concerns around sexuality and intimacy.
Objective
The purpose of this project is to enable and optimise sexuality and intimacy conversations in oncology consulting rooms in order to better fulfil the needs of patients. Insights into the conversation concerns and opportunities will be used for a new learning environment around sexuality for healthcare professionals.
Results
The result will be a learning environment, that specifically matches the learning needs of the healthcare professionals. With this environment, the professionals can gain a better understanding of conversations on sexuality and intimacy with cancer patients.
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Supporting patient-centered communication techniques to discuss the impact of treatment on sexuality
Patients and their concerns about sexuality are at the heart of this learning environment.Understanding communication dilemmas and the effects of language use enables healthcare professionals to better support patients in addressing a sensitive yet essential aspect of their quality of life.
Go to learning environmentApproach
Interviews will be held with patients, and focus groups will be organized with healthcare professionals from the consortium. The data that come from these methods will be analysed from the discursive-psychological perspective, based on the idea that language is used to perform actions.
Education impact
This project delivers a learning environment for healthcare professionals that want to improve their conversations on sexuality with patients. Within this project, the involvement within education is managed in different ways. Teacher-researchers participate in this project. Students of “Art of the dialogue” (“Kunst van de dialoog”) and students of “Oncological care” will be involved through research minors, internships and graduating.
HU researchers involved in the research
Collaboration with knowledge partners
Partners in the project are: Amsterdam UMC, Breast cancer association Netherlands (BVN), Erasmus MC, Flare Health, Flevo hospital, Isala Zwolle, LUMC, Prostate cancer foundation, Foundation General Practitioner Advisory Group Sexual Health (SEKSHAG), Sick and Sex Foundation, Kanker.nl Foundation, Van Leeuwen Communication and Voor de Leeuwen (training and advice).
