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Hur, Kim, and Jung: A Subjectivity Study on the Sexual Life of Women with Breast Cancer after Mastectomy
Original Article

Asian Oncology Nursing 2015; 15(3): 140-148.

Published online: 30 September 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5388/aon.2015.15.3.140

A Subjectivity Study on the Sexual Life of Women with Breast Cancer after Mastectomy

SungSoun Hur1, Hyunja Kim1, Yun Jung2

1Department of Nursing, Seoul National University BunDang Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

2Department of Nursing, KyungDong University, Wonju, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Kim, Hyunja. Department of Nursing, Seoul National University BunDang Hospital, 82 Gumi-ro 173 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 13620, Korea. Tel: +82-31-787-6412, Fax: +82-31-787-4054, hjkim@snubh.org

Received 3 November 2014       Revised 30 August 2015       Accepted 22 September 2015

© 2015 Korean Oncology Nursing Society

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

This study was done to explore subjective structure of sexual life of woman with breast cancer after mastectomy and to provide basic data for educational programs and psycho-social support.

Methods

A Q-methodology which provides a method of analyzing subjectivity was used. 30 selected Q-statements from each of the 30 women for breast cancer treatment were normal distributed using a 9-point scale. Subjectivity of sexuality was analyzed using the PC-QUANL program.

Results

We identified five types of sexuality among the participants. These five types can be called 'sex of misunderstanding', 'sex of breast preference', 'sex of communication', 'only sexual intercourse', 'meaningless sex'.

Conclusion

Educational programs or counselling programs that will help the concerned people, including the patients' husbands are needed to address each of the sexual problems identified.

Keywords: Breast Neoplasm, Sexuality, Needs Assessment

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Distribution of Q-sample Card

aon-15-140-i001
Variables Disagree Neutral Agree
Weight - 3 - 2 - 1 0 + 1 + 2 + 3
Score 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Number of cards 3 4 5 6 5 4 3
Table 2

Eigen Values, Variance, and Cumulative Percentage

aon-15-140-i002
Variables Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4 Type 5
Eigen value 9.51 2.84 1.71 1.63 1.17
Variance % 0.31 0.09 0.05 0.05 0.03
Cumulative 0.31 0.41 0.46 0.52 0.56
Table 3

Correlation between Types

aon-15-140-i003
Variables Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4 Type 5
Type 1 1.00
Type 2 .29 1.00
Type 3 .51 .49 1.00
Type 4 .36 .41 .64 1.00
Type 5 .49 .13 .36 .33 1.00
Table 4

Types, Factor weight, Demographic Characteristics for P-sample (N=30)

aon-15-140-i004
Type ID Factor weight Age Education Duration of disease (month) Stage of cancer Chemo therapy Radiation therapy Hormone therapy Range of mastectomy
Type 1 (n = 6) 24 1.08 56 Middle school 38 3 Yes Yes No Total
16 1.05 40 High school 15 2 Yes Yes Yes Partial
17 1.04 34 University 14 1 Yes Yes Yes Partial
15 0.90 53 Middle school 59 3 Yes Yes Yes Total
14 0.66 48 High school 35 3 Yes Yes Yes Partial
28 0.59 47 University 21 1 No Yes Yes Partial
Type 2 (n = 7) 19 1.93 52 University 15 1 Yes Yes Yes Partial
18 1.74 53 University 82 4 Yes Yes Yes Total
06 0.96 56 University 53 2 Yes Yes Yes Partial
08 0.96 46 High school 12 1 No No Yes Total
10 0.70 43 University 56 3 Yes Yes No Total
04 0.69 41 University 14 1 No Yes Yes Partial
29 0.64 59 High school 12 2 Yes Yes No Total
Type 3 (n = 10) 13 1.89 47 High school 12 1 No No Yes Total
21 1.29 49 University 13 1 Yes Yes No Partial
20 1.25 42 High school 56 1 No Yes Yes Partial
09 0.95 48 University 13 3 Yes Yes Yes Total
03 0.80 51 University 12 2 Yes No No Total
30 0.79 34 University 27 2 Yes Yes No Partial
22 0.77 58 University 40 4 Yes Yes Yes Partial
01 0.70 34 University 13 2 Yes Yes No Total
05 0.68 47 University 18 1 No Yes Yes Partial
11 0.64 47 High school 12 1 No Yes No Partial
Type 4 (n = 4) 25 1.33 39 University 46 2 Yes Yes No Partial
26 0.90 50 High school 12 2 Yes No Yes Total
27 0.53 29 High school 13 2 Yes Yes No Total
02 0.37 54 University 36 1 No Yes No Partial
Type 5 (n = 3) 12 1.47 56 University 57 2 Yes Yes Yes Partial
07 0.92 49 University 13 3 Yes No No Total
23 0.67 47 University 56 2 Yes No Yes Total
Table 5

Q-sample and Z-score according to Types (N=30)

aon-15-140-i005
No. of item Q-statement Z-score
Type 1
(n = 6)		 Type 2
(n = 7)		 Type 3
(n = 10)		 Type 4
(n = 4)		 Type 5
(n = 3)
1 I just feel responsible for my husband, and it does not mean anything to me. 0.6 - 1.0 - 0.6 - 1.7 1.5
2 There is no difference after the surgery. 1.1 0.9 1.6 1.8 - .9
3 Due to decrease in vaginal secretion, it is hard to have sexual intercourse. 0.3 1.1 - 0.1 0.9 1.7
4 To hide my breast where I had the surgery, I wear my tops when I do it. - 1.0 1.8 - 0.3 - 1.5 - 1.2
5 My husband and I think physical affection is more important. - 0.6 - 0.1 1.5 1.1 1.1
6 I really do not want to do it even if my husband might have an affair. - 0.2 - 1.6 - 0.6 - 1.6 - 1.3
7 After the surgery, when I was having treatment for cancer and radiation therapy, we never did it. 1.7 - 0.4 0.3 1.4 1.7
8 My husband tries to stay away from having sexual intercourse to protect my health. 1.0 - 0.8 - 0.8 - 1.1 - 0.9
9 Because of treatment for cancer and radiation therapy, I am afraid that there would be bad influence on my husband, so I stay away from it. 1.1 1.1 - 0.6 - 0.4 - 0.4
10 My husband and I communicate frequently about our difficulties in sex life and we try many ways to solve our problems. - 0.7 0.5 1.7 0.5 0.1
11 I am worried that my husband might have an affair due to the problems in our sex life. - 1.4 - 0.8 - 1.1 0.8 - 1.2
12 There was a decrease in frequency and orgasm, but my husband is more considerate after the surgery. 0.7 1.7 1.8 1.4 0.1
13 My husband is so inconsiderate that I feel like he is an animal. - 1.2 - 0.9 - 1.3 - 0.3 - 0.1
14 Using gel or other sexual products help a lot. - 1.1 - 0.2 - 0.4 1.1 - 0.9
15 I have asked doctors or nurses for help because of the problems in sex life. - 1.4 0.2 - 0.1 - 1.4 - 0.7
16 Relationship between the husband and the wife can get better besides having a good sex life. 1.7 1.3 2.0 1.0 0.5
17 My husband and I do not care much about sex life. 1.4 - 0.9 1.0 0.5 1.3
18 I wish that there is an education for the people to adapt to the changes in sex life due to the surgery. - 0.1 1.1 0.6 0.8 0.1
19 The husbands must receive the education. 0.9 0.8 0.3 0.6 - 0.1
20 We are not doing it even after the treatment is over. 0.6 - 0.8 - 0.5 - 1.2 0.3
21 My husband is so understanding, but I still feel bad for him. 0.7 0.0 1.0 0.6 1.7
22 After the surgery, I do not consider myself a woman. - 1.5 - 1.3 - 1.4 - 0.8 - 1.0
23 Because of the sex life, if it is possible, I want to get a surgery to get new breasts. - 1.0 0.2 - 1.5 - 0.6 - 0.3
24 I do not like it when my husband looks at or touches my breasts where I had my surgery. - 0.0 1.1 - 1.0 - 0.3 0.7
25 For the problems in sex life, I consider other patients' advices who are undergoing the same problem. - 0.0 0.2 - 0.5 0.3 - 0.1
26 There is a need for counseling from the professionals when there are problems in sex life. 0.0 0.9 0.7 - 0.2 - 0.3
27 I do not want to even think about having sex, and it is just hard for me to live as a decent human being. - 0.4 - 1.6 - 0.3 - 0.3 - 1.0
28 I have considered divorce due to the problems in sex life. - 1.7 - 1.4 - 1.2 - 1.2 - 1.9
29 I cannot understand people who think sex life is so important. 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.3 0.1
30 Due to my psychological problems (depression, anxiety, etc..), I do not want to even think about sex life. - 0.7 - 1.0 - 0.3 - 0.4 1.4

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