A quality assurance project evaluating a two-part 'Sexual Health and Cancer' continuing education course found that both parts were beneficial to oncology providers personally and professionally, though only 44% of part I completers proceeded to complete part II.
Key Findings
Results
Lack of knowledge and resources on sexual health was identified as the most common barrier to providing sexual healthcare to cancer patients.
Finding was based on a pre-course survey completed by 27 participants
Participants responded to a combination of Likert scale questions, check boxes, and short-answer questions
Providers cited lack of knowledge as a primary barrier to initiating discussions about sexual health with patients
The survey gathered information on participants' confidence and knowledge when addressing sexual health concerns with their patients
Results
Only 44% of participants who completed part I of the course proceeded to complete part II.
The course was structured in two parts designed to educate oncology providers about common sexual concerns of patients
The course also covered how to assess and counsel patients regarding effective interventions
Reasons for not completing both parts of the course are explored in the paper
Continued development and improvement of the course may enhance participant engagement and retention in future offerings
Results
Participants who completed part II reported that the course was beneficial both personally and professionally.
A post-course survey was completed by participants after part I and again after part II
Both part I and part II of the course proved beneficial to participants
Course tuition was provided to providers who expressed interest via an invitation to attend the sponsored course
The course is part of the Interdisciplinary Online Distance Education (IPODE) program
Discussion
There is a pressing need to systematically identify and address sexual health education needs in oncology to improve healthcare system capacity.
Sexual health needs of cancer patients are often left unaddressed by providers
Online educational opportunities may continue to provide resources for oncology providers interested in better supporting patients with sexual health concerns
The interdisciplinary nature of the course targeted cancer care providers across disciplines
The project was framed as a quality assurance evaluation rather than a formal clinical trial
What This Means
This research evaluated a two-part online continuing education course called 'Sexual Health and Cancer,' designed to help oncology healthcare providers better understand and address the sexual health concerns of their cancer patients. Before the course, 27 participating providers completed a survey that revealed their biggest obstacles were a lack of knowledge and resources on sexual health topics — not unwillingness to help patients. This aligns with a broader problem in cancer care where patients' sexual health needs frequently go unaddressed.
The study found that both parts of the course were considered beneficial by those who completed them, improving providers' confidence and knowledge. However, a notable drop-off occurred between the two parts: only 44% of those who finished part I went on to complete part II. The researchers explored possible reasons for this attrition and suggested that further development of the course could improve completion rates in future offerings.
This research suggests that online education programs can be a practical tool for filling gaps in oncosexology training among interdisciplinary cancer care teams. Since provider knowledge is a key barrier to sexual health conversations with patients, improving access to targeted education could ultimately lead to better support for cancer patients dealing with sexual health challenges. The authors emphasize that a systematic approach to identifying and meeting these education needs across the oncology field is still urgently needed.
Walker L, Spratt J, Hutchison T, Driga A, Robinson J, Turner J, et al.. (2025). A sexual health continuing education quality assurance project: enhancing oncosexology competence in interdisciplinary cancer care providers.. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-025-09623-2