| Over 84,000 women are diagnosed with gynecological (GYN) cancer each year. These women experience negative effects of the disease and treatment on their sexual lives. Much of the GYN cancer literature about sexuality focuses on problems with physical sexual function (e.g. dyspareunia, vaginal bleeding). Less attention is paid to psychological and relationship factors that may also represent sexual concerns. Current measures lack the breadth of sexual concerns that GYN cancer survivors may experience. The Sexual Concerns Questionnaire-Gynecological Cancer (SCQ-GC) was developed to address this gap.;A descriptive correlational study was designed to (1) evaluate construct validity of the SCQ-GC, using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and by testing hypothesized relationships; (2) evaluate internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the SCQ-GC, (3) describe the presence, intensity, and overall burden of sexual concerns in GYN-cancer survivors, and (4) evaluate the influence of age, disease stage, sexual activity status, menopausal status, and completion of childbearing status on number and burden of sexual concerns. Seven hundred sixty women with GYN cancer diagnosed between October 2008 and December 2013 were invited to participate; 260 agreed to participate and completed surveys. The sample was largely Caucasian, college-educated, married, sexually active, and had been post-menopausal at the time of diagnosis.;Factor analysis provided initial support for construct validity of a 39-item, seven factor SCQ-GC. Tests of hypothesized relationships provided further support for construct validity. Internal consistencies (alpha=.72-.93) and test-retest reliabilities (r=.84-.96) provided support for the reliability and stability of the SCQ-GC. Participants reported a mean of 11.23 (SD=7.90) sexual concerns, and mean burden of 25.6 (SD=22.97). Number and burden of sexual concerns were positively related to age, and differed by menopausal status and completion of child bearing, but not to disease stage or sexual activity status.;Findings suggest that the SCQ-GC is a psychometrically sound measure of sexual concerns in GYN cancer. Future research should test interventions, and target younger women as a population at risk for multiple sexual concerns. Educational interventions may be useful in addressing the sexual concerns identified in this study. |
