Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39172959›Full record

ArticlePloS one2024

A multimodal couple-coping intervention for enhancing sexual adjustment among breast cancer women: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Ka Ming Chow, Carmen Wing Han Chan, Kai Chow Choi, Alexandra Leigh McCarthy

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ka Ming ChowThe Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-7442-5197
Carmen Wing Han ChanThe Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
Kai Chow ChoiThe Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
Alexandra Leigh McCarthyFaculty of Health, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo investigate the effects of a multimodal couple-based sexual health intervention for premenopausal women treated for breast cancer and their partners to provide personalised psychosexual care, and to understand participants' experience of, and adherence to, the intervention.

methodsThis is an assessor-blinded, randomised controlled trial. Premenopausal women treated for breast cancer (N = 160) and their partners will be recruited. Dyads will be randomised into an intervention (n = 80) or attention control (n = 80) group. The intervention group will receive the multimodal couple-based sexual health intervention over eight weeks. The intervention comprises five face-to-face and virtual individual couple counselling sessions combined with online reading, a chat-based discussion forum, and telephone calls. The intervention is based on level I-II evidence and a robust theoretical framework. The attention control group will receive usual care plus telephone calls comprising general greetings and reminders to complete follow-up surveys. Sexual adjustment, relationship quality and quality of life will be measured at baseline, after completion of the intervention, three months and six months post-intervention. The project will adhere to the CONSORT-EHEALTH checklist. Qualitative interviews will explore the participants' experience of, and adherence to, the intervention. DISCUSSION: This study will provide the first pragmatic evidence of the effectiveness of a multimodal couple-coping intervention to support premenopausal women and their partners to improve sexuality, relationship quality and quality of life after treatment for breast cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND /OR PATIENT CARE: Sexual health is a neglected area in clinical practice, for patients and partners. The ever-growing population of women treated for breast cancer at younger age has created a more pressing need for the development of tailored sexual health interventions. If effective, this intervention could be incorporated into routine cancer care to provide better support and care for this patient population to enhance sexual health, intimacy and overall well-being.

trial registrationISRCTN35481498; prospectively registered on 08/05/2023.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PsychologicalBreast NeoplasmsQuality of LifeAdultCounselingFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPragmatic Clinical Trials as TopicPremenopauseRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSexual BehaviorSexual HealthSexual Partners

Identifiers

PMID39172959
PMCPMC11340947

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.