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April 15-16, 2019 | Frankfurt, Germany
Oncology Nursing and Cancer Care
16th International Conference on
Journal of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics | Volume 4
Perceived impact of cancer and treatment modalities on sexuality and sexual lives of
cancer patients in UNTH Ituku-Ozalla Enugu state, Nigeria
Philomena Ebere Ohazuruike
University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
Adiagnosis of cancer often imposes crises on the
person having to confront the illness, with lots
of challenges and difficulties, pains and suffering.
Issues surrounding sexuality are an important
factor in quality of life. Being sexual helps people
feel normal, capable, healthy and alive. It provides
pleasure when many pleasures may be lacking.
However, profound sexual dysfunction has been
shown to have a significant negative effect on quality
of patients following cancer treatment. Given the
sexual and sexuality challenges that cancer patients
face throughout their cancer journey, many could
suffer silently from sexual dysfunction because they
are not aware or informed especially in a culture
where sexual issues are shrouded in secrecy.
The aim of this study was to assess the perceived
impact of cancer and treatment modalities on
sexuality and sexual lives of cancer patients in
UNTH Enugu.
The objectives were to assess:
• Cancer patients need for information and
education on sexuality and cancer
• Impact of illness and treatment on sexuality
and sexual life of cancer patients prior and
following treatment
• Perceived limitations of cancer therapy on
reproduction
• Sexual relationship challenges experienced
by cancer patients resulting from cancer
therapy
The study adopted the society design, sample size of
298 cancer patients were drawn from a population
of 2,980. The mean age was 50.45±10.16 years.
Findings M showed that most of the respondents
desired discussion on sexuality and cancer.
Discussions on the impact of cancer and treatment
were considered very important. The respondents
wished to have some information and materials
on sexuality majority (67.1%) of the respondents
preferred nurses to doctors in discussing the
effects of cancer and it’s treatment on sexuality
and life. While 82.2% were caregivers. Most of the
respondents felt adequate as a man/woman prior
to sickness, butmany did not feel as good following
sickness. Concerning perceived limitations of
cancer therapy on reproduction showed that
majority of the respondents felt weak to engage
in sexual activities and only very few had desire
for sexual activity while on treatment majority
of the women (68.6%) experienced treatment
induced menopause and also experienced less
lubrication during sexual activity. The sexual
gender role as mother/wife, as father/husband.
Majority of the respondents were anxious about
the sickness. Impacts of cancer and cancer
treatments on sexuality and sexual life were more
on patients with triple treatment modalities and
greatest on patients with stage 4 and those with
co-morbidities.
Speaker Biography
Philomena Ebere Ohazuruike is currently pursuing her post graduate
program and also completed her under graduate from Enugu State
University of Science and Technology, Nigeria. She did her School of
Nursing from Mater Misericordiae Hospital Afikpo and her Diploma in
Nursing from Ufuma Community Secondary School. She is now working
in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital at Ituku Ozalla Oncology
Ward.
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