title: Sexual self-esteem and psychosocial functioning in military veterans after cancer.
abstract: Little is known about the sexual well-being of male Veteran cancer survivors, or the relationship of sexual concerns to psychosocial adaptation postcancer. This study examined the association between sexual self-esteem and psychosocial concerns in male Veteran cancer survivors. Forty-one male survivors were recruited from a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital to participate in a pilot study addressing cancer survivorship care for Veterans. Sixty- to 90-minute interviews were conducted, assessing sociodemographic, medical, stress/burden (cancer-related posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression), and resource (social support, post-traumatic growth) variables. Twenty-one (51.2%) Veteran cancer survivors reported lowered sexual self-esteem as a result of cancer, which corresponded to significantly higher levels of depression and cancer-related PTSD. The lowered sexual self-esteem group also indicated significantly lower social support. Veteran cancer survivors with lowered sexual self-esteem tend to have higher levels of stress and lower levels of resources, putting them at risk for lowered quality of life. This increased risk highlights the importance of addressing sexual well-being in the survivorship care of Veterans.
authors: San Diego State University, Department of Psychology, SDSU/UCSD Cancer Center Comprehensive Partnership, San Diego, CA 92120, USA. maggie.mai.29@gmail.com
authors: Maggie L
authors: ML
authors: Syme
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: Delaney
authors: Jennifer Schuster
authors: JS
authors: Wachen
authors: Jeffrey
authors: J
authors: Gosian
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Moye
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*