A Study of Sexual Function in Cancer Patients

I was recently contacted by Chia-Chun Li, a doctoral candidate in nursing at the University of Texas at Austin, who is working on a study for her dissertation entitled, “Factors Affecting Sexual Function and Sexual Satisfaction among Females with or without Rectal Cancer or Gynecological Cancer.”

She is looking for women to participate in both the study group (those with cancer) and a control group (women without cancer). According to the announcement, you are eligible to participate in the study group if:

You are a female; are 18 years or order; live in U.S.; are in a relationship or married; read English; have experienced rectal cancer or gynecological cancer surgery for longer than three months; do not have a prior history of any other type of cancer; have finished postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy; had no postoperative complications, including wound infections, temporary bladder dysfunction, anastomosis leakage, bleeding, and ostomy complications; and are willing and able to provide information about the research questions.

You are eligible to participate in control group if:

You are a female; are 18 years or older; are in a relationship or married; read English; live in U.S.; not have a history of cancer; and are willing and able to provide information about the research questions.

Below is additional information on the study:

This study is not only for females with sexual dysfunction but also for females without any sexual dysfunction. You are encouraged to participate in this study if you feel interested in the study and are willing to provide information about the research questions.

Data will be collected by sending a packet consisting of an informed consent form, the set of questionnaires, and a $5 cash incentive and a tea bag of appreciation to your residence. If you are interested in the study, you can contact me by e-mail (chiachunli820@mail.utexas.edu) or phone (512-529-4527), and please tell me your mail address.

Your participation includes signing the informed consent form, completing the questionnaires, and returning them to me in the postage-paid envelope.

Risks to participants are considered minimal. All information about you will be kept confidential, and your name will not be connected with any information that you provide. Identification numbers associated with mail and e-mail addresses will be kept during the data collection phase for tracking purposes only.

Contact Information:

Chia-Chun Li, RN, MSN, Doctoral Candidate

The University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing

4210 Red River #121

Austin, Texas 78751

E-mail address: chiachunli820@mail.utexas.edu

Telephone: 512-529-4527

Advisor: Lynn Rew, EdD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN

The Denton & Louise Cooley and Family Centennial Professor

E-mail address: ellerew@mail.utexas.edu

Telephone: 512-471-7941