title: Written information material and availability of sexual health care for men experiencing sexual dysfunction after prostate cancer treatment: An evaluation of Dutch urology and radiotherapy departments.
abstract: Objective was to investigate content of written information material and availability of sexual health care for men experiencing sexual dysfunction (SD) after prostate cancer treatment. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Dutch urology and radiotherapy departments to evaluate information materials and availability of sexual health care. Out of 71 eligible departments, 34 urology and 15 radiotherapy departments participated in the survey (response rate 69.0%). Fifty-nine brochures corresponding to 31 urology and 11 radiotherapy departments were analysed. In 88.1% of collected information material, sexual health was mentioned. Regarding extensiveness, 20.4% of the brochures contained extensive information, 50.8% moderate amount of information and 28.8% contained little or no information. Urology departments provided pre-treatment nurse consultations more often than radiotherapy departments. Sexual counselling was more frequently provided by urology departments. Urology departments were more aware of adequate referral possibilities. Information material provided by Dutch urology and radiotherapy departments does not address treatment-related SD routinely. Sexual health care is not available everywhere for men experiencing SD. Applying a standard regarding content of sexual health in information material is recommended as well as improved awareness of referral possibilities and enhanced provision of pre-treatment nurse consultations for men experiencing SD after prostate cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Grondhuis Palacios
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Krouwel
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duijn
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: den Oudsten
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Nursing, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M E M
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: den Ouden
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Putter
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R C M
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Pelger
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Elzevier
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010174:Pamphlets; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D018787:Radiation Oncology; D011878:Radiotherapy; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014572:Urology
keywords: information provision; prostate cancer; romantic relationship; sexual counselling; sexual dysfunction; sexual health care