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Background <p>Ovarian function suppression (OFS) treatment induces sudden menopause in women with breast cancer, leading to severe sexual issues. While overall sexual health research is limited, evidence specific to OFS-treated women is even scarcer. We aim to compare the symptom burden and interpersonal relationships of sexually active (SAW) and inactive women (SIW).</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to July 2024. Participants completed questionnaires including demographic/clinical data and scales assessing symptom burden, social support, and social alienation. Convenience sampling included 1134 OFS women (SIW, <i>n</i> = 339; SAW, <i>n</i> = 795).</p> Results <p>Before and after overlap weighting (OW), SIW is consistently associated with higher overall symptom burden; post-OW, it correlates only with phase-specific poorer social attributes. Initially, a lower ‘lost interest in sex’ burden correlates with SIW, but this relationship reverses after adjustment. Following OW, anxiety (OR 6.32, 95%CI 1.33-29.97), mood swings (OR 3.84, 95% CI 1.05–14.12), and depression (OR 2.39, 95%CI 1.00-5.69) show the highest odds of occurrence in SIW vs. SAW. Relative to “Independent &amp; Balanced”, married SIW treated for 1-3 months align with “Isolated &amp; Overburdened”. Conversely, SAW profiles vary: married women treated for 3-5 years belong to “Selective Sexual Burden,” married women belong to the “Latently Stressed”, while those treated for 1-3 months fall into “Vaginal Symptom-Focused” or “Multi-System Diffuse Distress”.</p> Conclusions <p>Sex life is associated with OFS women’s physical, mental, and interpersonal burdens. We identified SIW/SAW phenotyping categories with different symptom and interpersonal burdens and women with different social support sensitivities, providing a theoretical basis for future interventions.</p>

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Considering symptom burden and social relationships during sexual health management in ovarian suppression-treated women with breast cancer

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月16日

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  • Yuan Li,
  • Yunyun Chen,
  • Xinxin Wang,
  • Yufei Xing,
  • Xiaolong Wang,
  • Mengmeng Lyu,
  • Qing Wu,
  • Qiong Fang

摘要

Background

Ovarian function suppression (OFS) treatment induces sudden menopause in women with breast cancer, leading to severe sexual issues. While overall sexual health research is limited, evidence specific to OFS-treated women is even scarcer. We aim to compare the symptom burden and interpersonal relationships of sexually active (SAW) and inactive women (SIW).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to July 2024. Participants completed questionnaires including demographic/clinical data and scales assessing symptom burden, social support, and social alienation. Convenience sampling included 1134 OFS women (SIW, n = 339; SAW, n = 795).

Results

Before and after overlap weighting (OW), SIW is consistently associated with higher overall symptom burden; post-OW, it correlates only with phase-specific poorer social attributes. Initially, a lower ‘lost interest in sex’ burden correlates with SIW, but this relationship reverses after adjustment. Following OW, anxiety (OR 6.32, 95%CI 1.33-29.97), mood swings (OR 3.84, 95% CI 1.05–14.12), and depression (OR 2.39, 95%CI 1.00-5.69) show the highest odds of occurrence in SIW vs. SAW. Relative to “Independent & Balanced”, married SIW treated for 1-3 months align with “Isolated & Overburdened”. Conversely, SAW profiles vary: married women treated for 3-5 years belong to “Selective Sexual Burden,” married women belong to the “Latently Stressed”, while those treated for 1-3 months fall into “Vaginal Symptom-Focused” or “Multi-System Diffuse Distress”.

Conclusions

Sex life is associated with OFS women’s physical, mental, and interpersonal burdens. We identified SIW/SAW phenotyping categories with different symptom and interpersonal burdens and women with different social support sensitivities, providing a theoretical basis for future interventions.