title: Shyness and openness--common ground for dialogue between health personnel and women about sexual and intimate issues after gynecological cancer.
abstract: In this article we explore shyness and openness related to sexuality and intimacy in long-term female survivors of gynecological cancer, and how these women experienced dialogue with health personnel on these issues. Further analysis on two core themes, based on empirical data presented elsewhere, inspired continued theoretical and philosophical thinking drawing on Løgstrup's expressions of life and unified opposites. The findings show that gynecological cancer survivors and health personnel share common ground as human beings because shyness and openness are basic human phenomena. Health personnel's own movement between these phenomena may represent a resource because it can help women to handle sexual and intimacy challenges following gynecological cancer.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Haukeland University Hospital , Bergen , Norway.
authors.forename: Ragnhild J T
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sekse
authors.affiliation: b Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care , University of Bergen , Bergan , Norway.
authors.forename: Målfrid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Råheim
authors.affiliation: b Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care , University of Bergen , Bergan , Norway.|c Faculty of Health and Social Care , Molde University College , Molde , Norway.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gjengedal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D012792:Shyness; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*