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Talking About Sexuality: Desire, Virility, and Intimacy in the Context of Prostate Cancer Associations

Klaeson, Kicki ; Sandell, Kerstin LU and Bertero, Carina M. (2013) In American Journal of Men's Health 7(1). p.42-53
Abstract
Prostate cancer and its outcomes are a real threat for health and well-being for men living in the Western world. The number of men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, before the age of 65 years, has increased in recent decades. The aim of this study was to explore how some of these Swedish men experienced and talked about their sexuality. Four focus group discussions were performed in the context of associations for prostate cancer. Using qualitative content analysis, it was identified how the diagnosis was a threat to their male identity; the men's vulnerability as a group in society was made explicit. Their sexuality was diminished by their illness experiences. These experiences were difficult to share and talk about with others and... (More)
Prostate cancer and its outcomes are a real threat for health and well-being for men living in the Western world. The number of men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, before the age of 65 years, has increased in recent decades. The aim of this study was to explore how some of these Swedish men experienced and talked about their sexuality. Four focus group discussions were performed in the context of associations for prostate cancer. Using qualitative content analysis, it was identified how the diagnosis was a threat to their male identity; the men's vulnerability as a group in society was made explicit. Their sexuality was diminished by their illness experiences. These experiences were difficult to share and talk about with others and therefore connected with silence and sorrow. As a result of this, the informants often played a passive role when or if they discussed issues related to sexuality with someone in the health care organizations. The possibility of voluntarily joining a cancer association was probably highly beneficial for these men. During the sessions, several men expressed the opinion that "it is always great to talk.". (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
sexuality, prostate cancer, masculinity, qualitative content analysis
in
American Journal of Men's Health
volume
7
issue
1
pages
42 - 53
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • wos:000312305600006
  • scopus:84871282212
  • pmid:22954556
ISSN
1557-9883
DOI
10.1177/1557988312458143
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
98a34b47-8a5f-4ec6-95c0-b716832f0f82 (old id 3400837)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:53:51
date last changed
2022-04-04 22:24:58
@article{98a34b47-8a5f-4ec6-95c0-b716832f0f82,
  abstract     = {{Prostate cancer and its outcomes are a real threat for health and well-being for men living in the Western world. The number of men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, before the age of 65 years, has increased in recent decades. The aim of this study was to explore how some of these Swedish men experienced and talked about their sexuality. Four focus group discussions were performed in the context of associations for prostate cancer. Using qualitative content analysis, it was identified how the diagnosis was a threat to their male identity; the men's vulnerability as a group in society was made explicit. Their sexuality was diminished by their illness experiences. These experiences were difficult to share and talk about with others and therefore connected with silence and sorrow. As a result of this, the informants often played a passive role when or if they discussed issues related to sexuality with someone in the health care organizations. The possibility of voluntarily joining a cancer association was probably highly beneficial for these men. During the sessions, several men expressed the opinion that "it is always great to talk.".}},
  author       = {{Klaeson, Kicki and Sandell, Kerstin and Bertero, Carina M.}},
  issn         = {{1557-9883}},
  keywords     = {{sexuality; prostate cancer; masculinity; qualitative content analysis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{42--53}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{American Journal of Men's Health}},
  title        = {{Talking About Sexuality: Desire, Virility, and Intimacy in the Context of Prostate Cancer Associations}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1557988312458143}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1557988312458143}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}