Addressing Sexual Concerns in Breast Cancer: Patient Intervention Study

Enhancing Patient-Provider Communication About Sexual Concerns in Breast Cancer: Patient Intervention Study

The goal of this study is to evaluate an educational video intervention (called Starting the Conversation) aimed to enhance breast cancer patients' beliefs about and communication with respect to sexual concerns. In the current study, 128 breast cancer outpatients will be randomized to either participate in the video intervention and to receive a resource guide addressing sexual and menopausal health or to receive the resource guide alone. Patients will be asked to participate in the video and/or read through the resource guide prior to their clinic visit with their breast cancer provider. The investigators will examine effects of the interventions on patients' beliefs about communication about sexual health and on patients' communication about sexual health during clinic visits with their providers. Secondarily, the investigators will examine effects of the interventions on sexual outcomes and other health outcomes, including psychological well-being and health-related QOL.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Receiving any treatment for breast cancer or have completed acute treatment for breast cancer < 10 years ago
2. Attending clinic visits in the course of follow-up care (i.e., not an initial consult visit)
3. Willing to have clinic visit audio recorded

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Unable to speak English
2. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance score > 2 OR too ill to participate as judged by physician, self-report, or observation of the research team member
3. Overt cognitive dysfunction or psychiatric disturbance or severe mental illness (e.g., dementia, suicidal behavior, or psychosis), as observed or judged by the researcher or referring source.