Perceptions of gender roles, gender power relationships, and sexuality in Thai women following diagnosis and treatment for cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To describe patients' and their partners' perceptions of gender roles, gender power relationships, and sexuality before diagnosis of and after treatment for cervical cancer.


METHODS
Descriptive.


METHODS
Southern Thailand.


METHODS
97 women with cervical cancer who received cancer treatment, including radiotherapy, and their partners.


METHODS
Structured interview methods were used to gather information relating to gender roles, gender power relationships, and sexuality.


METHODS
Gender roles, gender power relationships, and sexuality.


RESULTS
Fifty-two percent of the women (n = 50) were diagnosed with stage II cervical cancer. The percentage of women who undertook various activities specific to gender roles before their diagnoses was higher than the percentage who undertook the same activities after treatment. An increased percentage of partners undertook the women's gender-role-specific activities after the women received cancer treatment compared with the percentage who did so before diagnosis. Little change in gender power relationships was reported. A high percentage of the couples reported changes in various aspects of their sexuality after cancer treatment compared with before diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender roles, gender power relationships, and sexuality changed for women with cervical cancer and their partners after the women completed cancer treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Open discussions among women with cervical cancer, their partners, and oncology nurses are necessary to identify culturally sensitive and appropriate solutions.
Kritcharoen
Sureeporn
S
Obstetrics-Gynecological Nursing and Midwifery Department, Prince of Songkla University in Hatyai, Thailand. ksureepo@ratree.psu.ac.th
Suwan
Kobkaew
K
Jirojwong
Sansnee
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011209:Power, Psychological; D019529:Sexuality; D013785:Thailand; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy