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Interventions for sexual problems following treatment for breast cancer: a systematic review

Overview of attention for article published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, September 2011
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Title
Interventions for sexual problems following treatment for breast cancer: a systematic review
Published in
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, September 2011
DOI 10.1007/s10549-011-1722-9
Pubmed ID
Authors

Sally Taylor, Clare Harley, Lucy Ziegler, Julia Brown, Galina Velikova

Abstract

Sexual functioning is an important element of quality of life. Many women experience sexual problems as a result of a breast cancer diagnosis and its treatment. Little is known about the availability and the effectiveness of interventions for sexual problems in this patient population. Six electronic databases were searched using Medical Subject Headings and keywords. Additional hand searching of the references of relevant papers was also conducted. The searches were conducted between October 2010 and January 2011. Papers were included if they evaluated interventions for sexual problems caused as a result of breast cancer or its treatment. Studies were only included if sexual functioning was reported using a patient-reported outcome questionnaire. Studies were excluded if sexual functioning was measured but improving sexual problems was not one of the main aims of the intervention. 3514 papers were identified in the initial search. 21 papers were selected for inclusion. Studies were of mixed methodological quality; 15 randomised trials were identified, many included small sample sizes and the use of non-validated questionnaires. Three main types of interventions were identified: Exercise (2), medical (2) and psycho-educational (17). The psycho-educational interventions included skills-based training such as problem-solving and communication skills, counselling, hypnosis, education and specific sex-therapies. Interventions were delivered to individual patients, patients and their partners (couple-based) and groups of patients. The widespread methodological variability hinders the development of a coherent picture about which interventions work for whom. Tentative findings suggest the most effective interventions are couple-based psycho-educational interventions that include an element of sexual therapy. More methodologically strong research is needed before any intervention can be recommended for clinical practice. Improved screening and classification of sexual problems will ensure interventions can be more effectively targeted to suit individual patient needs.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 139 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
United Kingdom 2 1%
United States 1 <1%
Canada 1 <1%
Unknown 135 97%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 22 16%
Student > Master 22 16%
Researcher 18 13%
Student > Bachelor 12 9%
Student > Postgraduate 6 4%
Other 19 14%
Unknown 40 29%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Nursing and Health Professions 23 17%
Medicine and Dentistry 21 15%
Psychology 21 15%
Social Sciences 10 7%
Sports and Recreations 7 5%
Other 12 9%
Unknown 45 32%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 23 March 2012.
All research outputs
#18,297,449
of 22,653,392 outputs
Outputs from Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
#3,678
of 4,612 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#104,350
of 126,032 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
#40
of 47 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,653,392 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 11th percentile – i.e., 11% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 4,612 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 7.2. This one is in the 11th percentile – i.e., 11% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 47 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 4th percentile – i.e., 4% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.