title: How to ask and what to do: a guide for clinical inquiry and intervention regarding female sexual health after cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As the number of female cancer survivors continues to grow, there is a growing need to bridge the gap between the high rate of women's cancer-related sexual dysfunction and the lack of attention and intervention available to the majority of survivors who suffer from sexual problems. Previously identified barriers that hinder communication for providers include limited time, lack of preparation, and a lack of patient resources and access to appropriate referral sources.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study brings together a recently developed model for approaching clinical inquiry about sexual health with a brief problem checklist that has been adapted for use for female cancer survivors, as well as practical evidence-based strategies on how to address concerns identified on the checklist. Examples of patient education sheets are provided as well as strategies for building a referral network.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By providing access to a concise and efficient tool for clinical inquiry, as well as targeted material resources and practical health-promoting strategies based on recent evidence-based findings, we hope to begin eliminating the barriers that hamper oncology providers from addressing the topic of sexual/vaginal health after cancer.
authors.affiliation: aDana-Farber Cancer Institute bHarvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts cCancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center dDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA eDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto and Odette Cancer Centre, Ontario, Canada fDepartment of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center gOhio State University, Columbus, Ohio hDepartments of Medicine and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center iDepartment of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College jDepartment of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center kDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center lDepartment of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bober
authors.forename: Jennifer B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Reese
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbera
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bradford
authors.forename: Kristen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Shari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goldfarb
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D017741:Survivors; D016387:Women's Health