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Current Oncology Reports
Published in: Current Oncology Reports 2/2016

01-02-2016 | Palliative Medicine (A Jatoi, Section Editor)

Communication About Sexuality in Advanced Illness Aligns With a Palliative Care Approach to Patient-Centered Care

Authors: Margaret W. Leung, Shari Goldfarb, Don S. Dizon

Published in: Current Oncology Reports | Issue 2/2016

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Abstract

Treatment-related sexual complications are common in cancer patients although rarely discussed in the palliative care setting. Sexuality is an important survivorship issue and remains relevant even in the terminal setting. There are multiple barriers in dialoguing about intimacy and sexual functioning from the patient and provider perspectives. Palliative care providers, while not expected to be sexual health experts, can provide comprehensive patient-centered care by including sexual health as part of their evaluation. They can explore how sexual dysfunction can impair functioning and utilize an interdisciplinary approach to manage symptoms. Palliative care providers can help patients identify their goals of care and explore what anticipated sexual changes and treat-related side effects are tolerable and intolerable to the patient’s quality of life. Principles on addressing sexuality in the palliative setting and practical ways of incorporating sexual history into the palliative care assessment are provided.
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Metadata
Title
Communication About Sexuality in Advanced Illness Aligns With a Palliative Care Approach to Patient-Centered Care
Authors
Margaret W. Leung
Shari Goldfarb
Don S. Dizon
Publication date
01-02-2016
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Oncology Reports / Issue 2/2016
Print ISSN: 1523-3790
Electronic ISSN: 1534-6269
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-015-0497-2

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