--- title: "Treatment of breast cancer and Patient's Sexual Health | Sutter Health" description: "Explore ways in which cultural and structural characteristics of the cancer care system may prevent breast cancer survivors to address sexual health concerns." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/disconnects-in-breast-cancer-tx-and-sexual-health-1055312906" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Treatment of breast cancer and Patient's Sexual Health # Beyond barriers: fundamental 'disconnects' underlying the treatment of breast cancer patients' sexual health. Halley MC, May SG, Rendle KA, Frosch DL, & Kurian AW. _Cult Health Sex. 1-12. \[Epub ahead of print\]_ 2014-08-20 ## Abstract Sexual health concerns represent one of the most frequently experienced and longest-lasting effects of breast cancer treatment, but research suggests that service providers rarely discuss sexual health with their patients. Existing research examining barriers to addressing patients' sexual health concerns has focused on discrete characteristics of the provider-patient interaction without considering the broader context in which these interactions occur. Drawing on the experiences of 21 breast cancer survivors, this paper explores three ways in which fundamental cultural and structural characteristics of the cancer care system in the USA may prevent breast cancer survivors from addressing their sexual health concerns, including: (1) when patients discussed sexual health with their providers, their providers approached sexuality as primarily physical, while participants experienced complex, multidimensional sexual health concerns; (2) specialization within cancer care services made it difficult for patients to identify the appropriate provider to address their concerns; and (3) the structure of cancer care literally disconnects patients from the healthcare system at the time when sexual side effects commonly emerged. These data suggest that addressing breast cancer survivors' sexual health concerns requires a multifaceted approach to health systems change. These data suggest that addressing breast cancer survivors' sexual health concerns requires a multifaceted approach to health systems change. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25138386) ## Research topics - [All Cancer](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22All+Cancer%5C%22%22) - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Health Services](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Services%5C%22%22) - [Women's Health](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Women%27s+Health%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Mapping the decision-making process for adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer: the role of decisional resolve.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/decision-making-adjuvant-endocr-tx-breast-ca-1055312417) Beryl LL, Rendle KA, Halley MC, Gillespie KA, May SG, Glover J, Yu P, Chattopadhyay R, Frosch DL. Med Decis Making. pii: 0272989X16640488. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Apr 06 - Publication ### [Redefining risk and benefit: understanding the decision to undergo contralateral prophylactic mastectomy.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/decsion-for-contralateral-prophylactic-mastectomy-1055312294) Rendle KA, Halley MC, May SG, Frosch DL. Qual Health Res. 25(9):1251-9. doi: 10.1177/1049732314557085. Epub 2014 Nov 4. 2015 Sep 01 - Publication ### [In absentia: an exploratory study of how patients are considered in multidisciplinary cancer team meetings.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/pt-consideration-multidisciplin-cancer-team-mtgs-1055312430) Hahlweg P, Hoffmann J, Härter M, Frosch DL, Elwyn G, Scholl I. PLoS One. 10(10):e0139921. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139921. eCollection 2015. 2015 Oct 06 - Publication ### [The importance of integrating narrative into health care decision making.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/integrate-narrative-in-healthcare-decision-making-1055312429) Dohan D, Garrett SB, Rendle KA, Halley M, Abramson C. Health Aff (Millwood). 35(4):720-5. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1373. 2016 Apr 01 - Publication ### [Physicians' perceptions of shared decision-making behaviours: a qualitative study demonstrating the continued chasm between aspirations and clinical practice.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/doctors-perceptions-shared-dec-making-behs-1055312533) Zeuner R, Frosch DL, Kuzemchak MD, Politi MC. Health Expect. 18(6):2465-76. doi: 10.1111/hex.12216. Epub 2014 Jun 17. 2015 Dec 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/disconnects-in-breast-cancer-tx-and-sexual-health-1055312906#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Treatment of breast cancer and Patient's Sexual Health"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/disconnects-in-breast-cancer-tx-and-sexual-health-1055312906#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Beyond barriers: fundamental 'disconnects' underlying the treatment of breast cancer patients' sexual health.","headline":"Treatment of breast cancer and Patient's Sexual Health","abstract":"Sexual health concerns represent one of the most frequently experienced and longest-lasting effects of breast cancer treatment, but research suggests that service providers rarely discuss sexual health with their patients. 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Drawing on the experiences of 21 breast cancer survivors, this paper explores three ways in which fundamental cultural and structural characteristics of the cancer care system in the USA may prevent breast cancer survivors from addressing their sexual health concerns, including: (1) when patients discussed sexual health with their providers, their providers approached sexuality as primarily physical, while participants experienced complex, multidimensional sexual health concerns; (2) specialization within cancer care services made it difficult for patients to identify the appropriate provider to address their concerns; and (3) the structure of cancer care literally disconnects patients from the healthcare system at the time when sexual side effects commonly emerged. These data suggest that addressing breast cancer survivors' sexual health concerns requires a multifaceted approach to health systems change. 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