title: Can you ask? We just did! Assessing sexual function and concerns in patients presenting for initial gynecologic oncology consultation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe patterns of response to, and assess sexual function and activity elicited by, a self-administered assessment incorporated into a new patient intake form for gynecologic oncology consultation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of patients presenting to a single urban academic medical center between January 2010 and September 2012. New patients completed a self-administered intake form, including six brief sexual activity and function items. These items, along with abstracted medical record data, were descriptively analyzed. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between sexual activity and function and disease status, adjusting for age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age was 50 years (range 18-91, N=499); more than half had a final diagnosis of cancer. Most patients completed all sex-related items on the intake form; 98% answered at least one. Among patients who were sexually active in the prior 12 months (57% with cancer, 64% with benign disease), 52% indicated on the intake form having, during that period, a sexual problem lasting several months or more. Of these, 15% had physician documentation of the sexual problem. Eighteen women were referred for care. Providers reported no patient complaints about the inclusion of sexual items on the intake form.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nearly all new patients presenting for gynecologic oncology consultation answered self-administered items to assess sexual activity and function. Further study is needed to determine the role of pre-treatment identification of sexual function concerns in improving sexual outcomes associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, United States; Program in Integrative Sexual Medicine for Women and Girls with Cancer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States. Electronic address: vanessa.kennedy@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Program in Integrative Sexual Medicine for Women and Girls with Cancer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Chicago Core on Biomeasures in Population-Based Aging Research at the NORC and University of Chicago Center on Demography and Economics of Aging, United States.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abramsohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Makelarski
authors.affiliation: Program in Integrative Sexual Medicine for Women and Girls with Cancer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wroblewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Meaghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tenney
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Nita Karnik
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Program in Integrative Sexual Medicine for Women and Girls with Cancer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: S Diane
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Program in Integrative Sexual Medicine for Women and Girls with Cancer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Medicine - Geriatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Chicago Core on Biomeasures in Population-Based Aging Research at the NORC and University of Chicago Center on Demography and Economics of Aging, United States.
authors.forename: Stacy Tessler
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lindau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019529:Sexuality / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Gynecologic neoplasms; Sexual function; Sexuality