Implementing Workshops to Improve Radiation Therapists' Knowledge and Attitudes about Sexual Health Issues in Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Although it is widely acknowledged that radiotherapy treatments can have a negative impact on a patient's sexual health, this aspect of side effect management is not commonly addressed by radiation therapists or by other cancer specialists. It is important for radiation therapists to recognize and address possible sexual health issues to provide a holistic approach to care. This quality-improvement project was designed to help radiation therapists discuss the sexual health needs of patients undergoing radiotherapy by improving their clinical knowledge, skills, and comfort level about the topic. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional descriptive prequestionnaire/postquestionnaire design, in which data were collected from a nonrandom sample of radiation therapists at a single urban radiation therapy center. Participants attended two 90-minute sexual health education workshops specifically designed for radiation therapists and completed online preworkshop/postworkshop questionnaires. All questions were quantitative in nature. The survey consisted of multiple-choice, multiple-select, and five-point Likert-scale questions. Descriptive analysis was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The results of this improvement project indicated that participants had introductory-level knowledge about how cancer treatments can impact patients' sexual health. Although there is potential for some changes in the general knowledge levels of the participants after the initiative, two general workshops about the topic are not enough to have radiation therapists feel comfortable enough with the topic to change their clinical practice. CONCLUSION: This project identified that although radiation therapists acknowledge the importance of discussing sexual health concerns as part of delivering holistic health care, lack of knowledge and expertise with the topic is a main barrier to initiating conversations. To help prepare radiation therapists, education and training initiatives, which build on knowledge and offer opportunities to develop and apply practical skills in both simulated and real-life situations, should be created. This can help to increase confidence in the sexual health counseling provided, which may result in more radiation therapists frequently engaging in these important sexual health conversations.

Patient and staff assessment of an audiovisual education tool for head and neck radiation therapy.

The purpose of this study was to understand and compare patient and staff perceptions of a video-based preparatory education tool for head and neck radiotherapy. Patients and staff completed a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of whether the education tool was relevant, clear, complete and reassuring. Staff rated the video's accuracy and anticipated impact on future patient information needs. Demographic information was collected. Open-ended questions were used to elicit additional feedback. Quantitative responses from 50 patients and 48 staff were very positive and not significantly different between the two groups. Content analysis of the qualitative data provided insight into the information and approaches valued by patients and staff and how these differed. Staff members were more critical of the production quality and completeness of information related to procedures and treatment side effects. Patients valued seeing procedures acted out and desired more information about what these experiences would feel like and how to engage in self-care. Although staff-driven development may be an effective method of designing the content and approach of a preparatory education video, care should be taken to consider differences between patient and staff perceptions of information needs.