Developing and testing support resources for prostate cancer patients

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Developing and testing support resources to maximise sexual wellbeing for men following a diagnosis of prostate cancer and their partners.

• IRAS ID

  215067

• Contact name

  Eilis McCaughan

• Contact email

  em.mccaughan@ulster.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Ulster University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  3 years, 0 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Prostate cancer and its treatments are associated with high levels of sexual dysfunction. Such problems are life changing as they are almost certain to lead to anxiety, low self-esteem and reduced quality of life for men. Relationships between men and their partners will inevitably be tested. Just as crucially, the general loss of confidence is likely to affect men in their daily lives.
  Globally there is evidence that the psychosexual care and support men and their partners receive is limited and men are often reluctant to discuss sexual issues, in particular those that are personal. Among the reasons for this is the fear of embarrassment by both men and Health Care Professionals (HCPs), lack of knowledge and skills of HCPs to broach the topic and offer appropriate responses to patients’ psychosexual problems. Patients are often left in the dark about the possible psychosexual consequences of the different forms of treatment and do not know how, and where, to seek information and support to self-manage their condition. Also, HPs have limited time available to provide this support.Therefore the purpose of the proposed research is to ensure that all men, following a diagnosis of prostate cancer, will have (at least) access to a nationally accepted ‘minimal service’ including, psychosexual care by: (1) Developing an 'Engagement, Assessment and Signposting Instrument (EASI) which will provide structure, content and guidance for HCP's to routinely and consistently engage with the men. (2) Develop an online training module for HCP's and (3) Adapting the University of Michigan's Web-based sexual recovery programme for a UK population which men and their partners can access in order to understand and manage the psychosexual problems they may experience.

• REC name

  HSC REC A

• REC reference

  17/NI/0014

• Date of REC Opinion

  22 Feb 2017

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion