title: Sexual health problems in French cancer survivors 2 years after diagnosis-the national VICAN survey.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to assess French cancer survivors' sexual health 2 years after diagnosis.
  
  
  
  Using the French National Health Insurance System database, the representative national VICAN survey was created comprising 4349 adults (12 cancer sites), still alive 2 years after diagnosis and aged 18-52 ("younger") or 53-82 ("older"). Sexual health was evaluated using six items from the Relationship and Sexuality Scale, and an overall indicator was created.
  
  
  
  Among the study's 1955 sexually active participants, 18.6 % (versus 13.1 %), 39.8 % (versus 39.9 %) and 29.4 % (versus 29.8 %) of men (versus women) were affected, respectively, by "strong", "moderate" and "weak" sexual health deterioration, while 12.2 % (versus 17.1 %) were spared sexual problems (P = 0.001). Strong deterioration more often concerned older men with prostate (27.7 %) and lung (26.1 %) cancers, younger men with upper aero-digestive tract cancers (25.2 %) and women (younger/older) with cervical cancer (24.2 %). Substantial (strong/moderate) sexual health deterioration was observed for all cancer sites, rates ranging from 68.3 % (prostate) to 37.2 % (melanoma). In all four gender/age subgroups, increasing age predicted poorer sexual health, although statistical significance was not reached in older women. Apart from genital cancer, perceived consequences, such as general sequelae and fatigue, were the primary factors associated with severe sexual problems.
  
  
  
  Two years after diagnosis, the majority of sexually active French cancer survivors reported impaired sexual health. Younger and older men and women with cancer in non-reproductive sites also reported problems.
  
  
  
  Interventions aimed at improving sexual health irrespective of age and cancer site should be developed.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR912 "Economics and Social Sciences Applied to Health & Analysis of Medical Information" (SESSTIM), 13385, Marseille, France.|Aix Marseille Université, UMR_S912, IRD, 13385, Marseille, France.|ORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory, 13385, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Charif
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR912 "Economics and Social Sciences Applied to Health & Analysis of Medical Information" (SESSTIM), 13385, Marseille, France.|Aix Marseille Université, UMR_S912, IRD, 13385, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Anne-Déborah
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bouhnik
authors.affiliation: IMBE UMR7263, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Marseille, France.|Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, APHM, La Conception Hospital, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Blandine
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Courbière
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR912 "Economics and Social Sciences Applied to Health & Analysis of Medical Information" (SESSTIM), 13385, Marseille, France.|Aix Marseille Université, UMR_S912, IRD, 13385, Marseille, France.|ORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory, 13385, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR912 "Economics and Social Sciences Applied to Health & Analysis of Medical Information" (SESSTIM), 13385, Marseille, France.|GRePS, Psychology Institute, Lyon 2 University, Bron, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Préau
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR912 "Economics and Social Sciences Applied to Health & Analysis of Medical Information" (SESSTIM), 13385, Marseille, France.|Aix Marseille Université, UMR_S912, IRD, 13385, Marseille, France.|ORS PACA, Southeastern Health Regional Observatory, 13385, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Marc-Karim
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Bendiane
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR912 "Economics and Social Sciences Applied to Health & Analysis of Medical Information" (SESSTIM), 13385, Marseille, France.|Aix Marseille Université, UMR_S912, IRD, 13385, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peretti-Watel
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR912 "Economics and Social Sciences Applied to Health & Analysis of Medical Information" (SESSTIM), 13385, Marseille, France. julien.mancini@univ-amu.fr.|Aix Marseille Université, UMR_S912, IRD, 13385, Marseille, France. julien.mancini@univ-amu.fr.|APHM, La Timone Hospital, BiosTIC, 13005, Marseille, France. julien.mancini@univ-amu.fr.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9500-8598
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mancini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D019529:Sexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: French cancer survivors; Sexual health problems; Sexually active; VICAN