Using BETTER Model Sexual Problems in Breast Cancer

March 4, 2020 updated by: Zeynep Olcer, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa (IUC)

THE EFFECT OF BETTER MODEL COUNSELLING WITH MODEL OVER SEXUAL PROBLEMS OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER

Breast cancer and its treatments such as mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy cause many side effects such as scar, problems with body perception and sexual problems. Sexual concerns lead to significant emotional distress, including sadness/depression, issues related to personal appearance, stigma, and negative impacts on personal relationships, intimacy and sexuality all of which reduce the quality of life. This experimental type of research is conducted within the framework of the BETTER model to evaluate the impact of counselling programme on sexuality issues that patients with breast cancer experience.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Methods: The sampling consists of 60 female participants who volunteered to participate in the study. Face to face interviews are held with the female participants based on the Information Forms and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)", "EORTC QLQ-BR23 Quality of Life Questionnaire", "Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)", "Body Cathexis Scale (BCS)" and "BETTER Model". Counselling programme of the women in the intervention group is held in four sessions one week apart and these women are provided with a counselling booklet accompanied by a CD. The scales are re-applied one month after the last session. In the control group, the women are left under routine hospital control after the scales are applied. The scales are re-applied to the control group after one month.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

60

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 41 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • who have had primary diagnosis of breast cancer and are at stage 0-I-II,
  • who underwent mastectomy,
  • who are in full remission, receiving no other treatment except hormonal therapy,
  • who has been receiving hormonal treatment for at least two months and less than 5 years,
  • age limit is set range from 18 to 45
  • who are literate and sexually active,
  • whose spouses had no sexual health problems,
  • who don't have psychiatric illness
  • who are capable of verbal communication and willing to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • who have had other cancer types or at stage III-IV
  • who underwent conservative breast surgery
  • who receive other treatment such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy
  • above 45 years old
  • who did not have sexual intercourse within the last month
  • whose spouses have sexual health problems
  • who have psychiatric illness
  • who are not willing to participate in the study
  • whose contact information could not be accessed

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: control group
Experimental: intervention group
o An appointment was made with the women in the experimental group at a time when they were available and a suitable environment was arranged in the hospital. The counselling programme of the experimental group was conducted in four sessions one week apart. In addition, each woman in the experimental group was given a counselling booklet and compact disc. The interviews lasted between 15- 45 minutes. The topics of interest among women were noted in the interviews and after the information on the subject was received, feedback was given to the relevant woman through a phone call.
Other Names:
  • education

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
"Female Sexual Function Index"
Time Frame: 1.5 months
"Female Sexual Function Index" has six subscales named as desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. In subscales, increasing points evaluate positively. Scores between two and thirty-six are obtained from the scale. It is found to be a valid and reliable scale. "Female Sexual Function Index" scores of breast cancer patients who receive nursing counselling for sexual problems increase after counselling programme.
1.5 months
the functional scale of the "European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast 23"
Time Frame: 1.5 months
"European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast 23" consists of 23 questions that look into the side effects of breast cancer treatments, body image, sexuality and future expectations. Scores between zero and one hundred points could be obtained from the scale. In Functional Scale increasing points evaluate positively. It is found to be a valid and reliable scale. The functional scale scores of the"European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast 23" of breast cancer patients who receive nursing counselling for sexual problems increase after counselling programme.
1.5 months
"Body Cathexis Scale"
Time Frame: 1.5 months
This 40-item scale aims to measure the degree of happiness among people regarding their body sections and functions. Scores between 40 and 200 points can be obtained from the scale. This scale has no cut-off point. The high scores received indicate a high degree of satisfaction. Validity and reliability study for this scale is conducted in our country. "Body Cathexis Scale" scores of breast cancer patients who receive nursing counselling for sexual problems increase after counselling programme.
1.5 months
"Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale"
Time Frame: 1.5 months
The scale consists of 20 items and four subscales on depression-related symptoms during a one week period. The total score that can be received from the scale vary between 0 and 60, with 16 points and above suggesting the probability of depression.It is a valid and reliable scale that is frequently used in cancer patients. "Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale" scores of breast cancer patients who receive nursing counselling for sexual problems decrease after the counselling programme.
1.5 months
The symptom scale of the "European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast 23"
Time Frame: 1.5 months
"European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast 23" consists 23 questions that look into the side effects of breast cancer treatments, body image, sexuality and future expectations. Scores between zero and one hundred points could be obtained from the scale. In the Symptom Scales/Items decreasing points evaluate positively. It is found to be a valid and reliable scale. The symptom scale scores of the "European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast 23" of breast cancer patients who receive nursing counselling for sexual problems decrease after the counselling programme.
1.5 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Zeynep Olcer, Istanbul University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 28, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 6, 2018

Study Completion (Actual)

April 30, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 2, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 4, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

March 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 5, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 4, 2020

Last Verified

March 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Istanbul University

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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