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Why do breast cancer survivors decline a couple-based intimacy enhancement intervention trial?

Publication ,  Journal Article
Reese, JB; Sorice, KA; Oppenheimer, NM; Smith, KC; Bober, SL; Bantug, ET; Schwartz, SC; Porter, LS
Published in: Transl Behav Med
May 20, 2020

Recruitment challenges hinder behavioral intervention research in cancer survivors. The purpose was to examine the reasons for declining and intervention preferences of study-eligible breast cancer survivors declining a trial of a four-session couple-based Intimacy Enhancement intervention (refusers) and explore whether refusers differed from participants on key characteristics. Partnered, post-treatment breast cancer survivors reporting sexual concerns who were eligible for but declined participation in the intervention trial were approached to complete a standardized 5-min telephone survey assessing reasons for declining and support preferences. Demographic, clinical, and sexual concerns information were collected during screening. Trial participants and refusers were compared on key variables of age, race, hormone therapy use, time since treatment, level of sexual concerns, and recruitment method using t-tests or chi-square tests. Among the 31 women who declined the trial and completed the survey, the most common reasons for declining were time commitment (74%) and partner noninterest (32%). Most (61%) reported that the telephone format played little to no role in their refusal. Eighty-one percent wanted their partners involved in a program addressing sexual concerns. The two most preferred resources were informational websites (45%) and meeting with a professional (26%). Trial participants and refusers did not differ on any key factors examined. Developing intimacy interventions that are very brief, partner-optional, or that use stepped care may bolster uptake. The methods used to examine study-eligible candidates' needs and preferences could be employed in other health populations, thus having broader implications for research design.

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Published In

Transl Behav Med

DOI

EISSN

1613-9860

Publication Date

May 20, 2020

Volume

10

Issue

2

Start / End Page

435 / 440

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Survivors
  • Sexual Partners
  • Sexual Behavior
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Cancer Survivors
  • Breast Neoplasms
  • 52 Psychology
  • 42 Health sciences
  • 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
 

Citation

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MLA
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Reese, J. B., Sorice, K. A., Oppenheimer, N. M., Smith, K. C., Bober, S. L., Bantug, E. T., … Porter, L. S. (2020). Why do breast cancer survivors decline a couple-based intimacy enhancement intervention trial? Transl Behav Med, 10(2), 435–440. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/iby129
Reese, Jennifer Barsky, Kristen A. Sorice, Natalie M. Oppenheimer, Katherine Clegg Smith, Sharon L. Bober, Elissa T. Bantug, Sharon C. Schwartz, and Laura S. Porter. “Why do breast cancer survivors decline a couple-based intimacy enhancement intervention trial?Transl Behav Med 10, no. 2 (May 20, 2020): 435–40. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/iby129.
Reese JB, Sorice KA, Oppenheimer NM, Smith KC, Bober SL, Bantug ET, et al. Why do breast cancer survivors decline a couple-based intimacy enhancement intervention trial? Transl Behav Med. 2020 May 20;10(2):435–40.
Reese, Jennifer Barsky, et al. “Why do breast cancer survivors decline a couple-based intimacy enhancement intervention trial?Transl Behav Med, vol. 10, no. 2, May 2020, pp. 435–40. Pubmed, doi:10.1093/tbm/iby129.
Reese JB, Sorice KA, Oppenheimer NM, Smith KC, Bober SL, Bantug ET, Schwartz SC, Porter LS. Why do breast cancer survivors decline a couple-based intimacy enhancement intervention trial? Transl Behav Med. 2020 May 20;10(2):435–440.
Journal cover image

Published In

Transl Behav Med

DOI

EISSN

1613-9860

Publication Date

May 20, 2020

Volume

10

Issue

2

Start / End Page

435 / 440

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Survivors
  • Sexual Partners
  • Sexual Behavior
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Cancer Survivors
  • Breast Neoplasms
  • 52 Psychology
  • 42 Health sciences
  • 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences