Sexual satisfaction and its predictors in patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers in six European countries: baseline data from the DIAdIC study

Objective
To identify predictors of sexual satisfaction in patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers.

Methods
Cross-sectional study using baseline survey data from a randomized controlled trial in six European countries. Patients with advanced cancer and their family caregiver completed measures on sexual satisfaction (one item from Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General questionnaire for patients and Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer scale for family caregivers) and health-related characteristics. Multivariable linear regressions were performed for all predictors (identified based on literature) with sexual satisfaction as dependent variable.

Results
The sample comprised 431 patient-family caregiver dyads. Patients with prostate or gynecological cancer reported lower sexual satisfaction (respectively B = −0.267 95% CI: −1.674, −0.594 and B = −0.196, 95% CI −2.103, −0.452). Higher emotional (B = 0.278, 95% CI 0.024, 0.057) physical (B = 0.305, 95% CI 0.012, 0.025) and social functioning (B = 0.151, 95% CI 0.001, 0.013), global health (B = 0.356, 95% CI 0.007, 0.013) and social wellbeing (B = 0.161, 95% CI 0.013, 0.082) among patients were associated with higher sexual satisfaction. Among family caregivers, sexual satisfaction was lower with increased age (B = −0.142, 95% CI −0.022, −0.004). Higher emotional functioning (B = 0.027, 95% CI 0.011, 0.043) and quality of life (B = 0.165, 95% CI −0.165, 0.716) were associated with higher sexual satisfaction in family caregivers.

Conclusions
The results underscore that sexual wellbeing of patients and family caregivers is related to health related factors in physical, emotional, and social domains. Patients and family caregivers could benefit from a dyadic approach to address sexual wellbeing.