title: Sexuality after a cancer diagnosis: A population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study explored differences in sexual activity, function, and concerns between cancer survivors and cancer-free controls in a population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were from 2982 men and 3708 women who were 50 years old or older and were participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Sexual well-being was assessed with the Sexual Relationships and Activities Questionnaire, and cancer diagnoses were self-reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between cancer survivors and controls in levels of sexual activity (76.0% vs 78.5% for men and 58.2% vs 55.5% for women) or sexual function. Men and women with cancer diagnoses were more dissatisfied with their sex lives than controls (age-adjusted percentages: 30.9% vs 19.8% for men [P = .023] and 18.2% vs 11.8% for women [P = .034]), and women with cancer were more concerned about levels of sexual desire (10.2% vs 7.1%; P = .006). Women diagnosed < 5 years ago were more likely to report difficulty with becoming aroused (55.4% vs 31.8%; P = .016) and achieving orgasm (60.6% vs 28.3%; P < .001) and were more concerned about sexual desire (14.8% vs 7.1%; P = .007) and orgasmic experience (17.6% vs 7.1%; P = .042) than controls, but there were no differences in men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-reports of sexual activity and functioning in older people with cancer are broadly comparable to age-matched, cancer-free controls. There is a need to identify the causes of sexual dissatisfaction among long-term cancer survivors despite apparently normal levels of sexual activity and function for their age. The development of interventions addressing low sexual desire and problems with sexual functioning in women is also important and may be particularly relevant for cancer survivors after treatment. Cancer 2016;122:3883-3891. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wardle
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steptoe
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D009948:Orgasm / Q000502:physiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D019529:Sexuality / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology
keywords: cancer; sex; sexual activity; sexual concern; sexual function