Quality of Nursing Care: Addressing Sexuality as Part of Prostate Cancer Management, an Umbrella Review

Sexuality is a fundamental aspect of health and wellbeing. The management of prostate cancer can result in erectile dysfunction and body feminisation, resulting in loss of masculinity and alterations of body image. Prostate cancer patients identify sexuality as an unmet need and report little or no communication with their healthcare providers on the topic.

This umbrella review aims to determine the barriers that may preclude nurses from discussing sexuality with prostate cancer patients.

An umbrella review of systematic review studies was undertaken using the PRISMA guidelines.

Five databases were comprehensively searched, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane and Prospero, from October 1, 2013 to December 1, 2023, using the defined criteria. A total of 11 systematic reviews were included in this review consisting of 10 with quantitative and 1 with quantitative/mixed methods approach.

This study identified common themes, which were categorised into four groups: (a) lack of training and education, (b) age and years of clinical experience of nurses, (c) personal values and attitudes and (d) organisational factors. These factors contribute to why nurses feel unprepared and admit to not having adequate knowledge or expertise to have this discussion.

The findings of this study illustrate that nurses require specialised communication skills to manage sensitive discussion with patients. Education is crucial to facilitate and empower nurses to discuss sexuality with their patients. Developing a pathway to specialist referrals will encourage nurses to address this with their patients.

For the preparation of this paper, no direct involvement of patients or public has been deemed applicable to this work. This is an umbrella review paper.