Sexual health communication and young-onset cancer (YOC): Healthcare practitioners’ attitudes and practices.

Abstract

12113 Background: Sexual health-related discussions are often challenging for Healthcare Practitioners (HCPs) and patients, making sexual health communication a frequently neglected aspect of cancer care. HCPs’ lack of knowledge regarding LGBTQ+ cancer care contributes to greater unmet survivorship needs.We explored HCPs’ attitudes and practices regarding sexual health-related discussions with YOC patients (25yrs–50yrs) to identify barriers and training needs for improving effective communication. Methods: A cross-sectional, mixed-methods design was employed. 160 HCPs working with patients with gastrointestinal and head & neck cancers at the Trinity St James Cancer Institute, Dublin, Ireland were invited to complete an anonymised 23-item online questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics for quantitative responses, and thematic analysis for qualitative insights. Results: 52 respondents included; Medical Oncology (46.2%), Surgical Oncology (36.5%), Radiation Oncology (11.5%), Psych-Oncology (5.8%), and Palliative Care (5.8%). 34.6% (18/52) and 25.0% (13/52) reported ‘rarely’ and ‘never’ enquiring about sexual health-related issues during routine consultations. 34.6% (18/52) reported feeling ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ unconfident initiating a sexual health-related discussion, while 5.7% (3/52) reported feeling adequately trained to enquire about sexual health-related issues. 43.1% (22/51) reported feeling ‘somewhat’ knowledgeable regarding the impact of cancer on sexual health, while 52.9% (27/51) reported they do not have sufficient knowledge regarding LGBTQ+ cancer care needs. Whilst 63.5% (33/52) agreed knowing a patient’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity is relevant to their healthcare, 19.2% (10/52) reported asking about sexual orientation in routine practice. Notably, 98.1% (51/52) reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ enquiring about gender identity. Common identified barriers included: lack of training or knowledge (76.9% (40/52)), inappropriate time/setting (59.6% (31/52)), HCP discomfort (46.2% (24/52)), and patient discomfort (48.1% (25/52)). There was strong interest in receiving formal sexual health-related education and training, and 75.0% (39/52) believed access to a specialist for advice and/or to whom patients could be referred would increase HCPs confidence. Conclusions: HCPs acknowledged the importance of sexual health-related communication with YOC patients, yet significant gaps exist in knowledge, confidence, and training, particularly regarding the LGBTQ+ population.These findings underscore the need for targeted training and education to empower HCPs to engage in meaningful sexual health communication.