title: The Effectiveness of Psychoeducational Interventions Focused on Sexuality in Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although sexual health is a common concern for oncology patients, no practical guidelines to sexual intervention exist, perhaps because of a lack of systematic reviews or meta-analyses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study were to determine the effect size for psychoeducational intervention focused on sexuality and to compare effect sizes according to intervention outcomes and characteristic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We explored quantitative evidence for the effects of sexual intervention for cancer patients or partners by using the electronic databases. Among them, we considered 15 eligible articles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The meta-analysis provided 133 effect sizes from 15 primary studies. The analysis revealed significant improvements after intervention, with a random-effects standardized mean difference of 0.75. Psychoeducational interventions focused on sexuality after cancer diagnosis were effective for compliance (2.40), cognitive aspect (1.29), and psychological aspect (0.83). Individual-based interventions (0.85) were more effective in improving outcomes than group approach and group combined with individual intervention. With regard to intervention providers, registered nurse only (2.22) and team approach including the registered nurse (2.38) had the highest effect size. Face-to-face intervention combined with telephone or the Internet (1.04) demonstrated a higher effect size than face-to-face (0.62) and telephone (0.58) independently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conducted an analysis of data from various subgroups of preexisting studies, obtained an overall estimate of the effectiveness of the intervention, and compared its effectiveness across variables that affect intervention outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide empirical data for evidence-based practice and inform the development of useful intervention programs through a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of the results.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: College of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Dankook University, Cheonan (Drs Kim and Yang); and Department of Nursing, Woosuk University, Wanju (Mrs Hwang), Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Younghee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Eun-Suk
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011613:Psychotherapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome