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Exploring the relationship between sexual function, sense of coherence, and well-being in a sample of Iranian breast cancer survivors

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Abstract

Purpose

This study was aimed at exploring the type and role of relationships between sexual function, sense of coherence (SOC), and well-being in a sample of Iranian breast cancer survivors.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study with correlational design, data were collected from 181 survivors by consecutive sampling. They answered demographic and clinical information sheet, the SOC scale, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and the Health Index (HI). The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.

Results

The mean age of survivors was 47.04 ± 9.05 years. Most survivors were menopausal (51.9%) and underwent mastectomy (69.1%), and 12 months or more had passed since their treatment ended (71.2%). Sexual function was positively correlated with the level of SOC (r = 0.20) and the HI (r = 0.33). Also, there was a positive correlation between the level of SOC and the HI (r = 0.51). The results of logistic regression analyses showed the protective role of the SOC (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.92–0.97) and the HI (OR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.79–0.96) for women’s sexual function. According to these results, the mediating role of the SOC was assessed between the variables of the HI and the FSFI. The SOC revealed a complete mediating effect in this relationship.

Conclusions

The mediator role of the SOC between survivors’ well-being and their sexual function helps nurses and clinicians to understand how the SOC can be used as a screening test to detect survivors who are at risk of sexual problems and to plan for salutogenic interventions.

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Acknowledgments

The present study is the result of the Master Thesis in Community Health Nursing of the first author (Fatemeh Lashani). The thesis was supervised by Dr. Camelia Rohani. The authors thank and appreciate all breast cancer survivors who participated in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Community Health Nursing, Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Fatemeh Lashani

  2. Community Health Nursing Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Vali-Asr Avenue, Cross of Vali-Asr and Neiaiesh Highway, Opposite to Rajaee Heart Hospital, Tehran, 1996835119, Iran

    Camelia Rohani & Fatemeh Estebsari

  3. Department of Health Care Sciences, Palliative Research Center, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Box 11189, Campus Ersta, Stigbergsgatan 30, SE-100 61, Stockholm, Sweden

    Camelia Rohani

  4. Nursing Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Malihe Nasiri

Authors
  1. Fatemeh Lashani
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  2. Camelia Rohani
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  3. Fatemeh Estebsari
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  4. Malihe Nasiri
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Camelia Rohani.

Ethics declarations

Research ethics approval and consent to conduct the project were obtained. The registration code of research ethics was obtained from the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (IR.SBMU.PHARMACY.1397.267). Informed oral and written consent was obtained from all breast cancer survivors.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Lashani, F., Rohani, C., Estebsari, F. et al. Exploring the relationship between sexual function, sense of coherence, and well-being in a sample of Iranian breast cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer 29, 3191–3199 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-020-05831-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-020-05831-0

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