Background and Importance:
Men living with pelvic cancers can experience sexual problems as a result of their illness and as a result of their treatment. These sexual problems can lead to psychological difficulties such as depression. This project aims to develop a questionnaire that can be used to assess how those psychological difficulties are managed in cancer treatment centres in Ireland. The outcome of that assessment will aid the development of methods which will manage those psychological problems in the future, and so improve quality of life among men living with pelvic cancers.
Research Project Design:
An initial version of the questionnaire will be created based on what is currently known about the management of sexual problems. This initial version will be sent to a small number of health professionals working with male patients living with pelvic cancer. These health professionals will be asked to complete the questionnaire, and to give feedback on how easy it was to understand and to complete. They will also be asked to give suggestions for improvement.
Responses and feedback from the health professionals will be analysed, and used to improve the questionnaire. The revised questionnaire can be used in a future study to accurately and comprehensively assess current clinical practice regarding the treatment of the psychological difficulties related to sexual problems among male pelvic cancer patients in Ireland.