Oncology nurses’ attitudes, knowledge and practices in providing sexuality care to cancer patients: A scoping review

Sexual health in cancer care is often overlooked. This study examines oncology nurses’ knowledge and practices regarding sexuality care, identifying barriers and facilitators. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-guided search of Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and EBSCO focused on studies from 2014 to 2024. Of 1735 identified studies, only 11 met inclusion criteria. Findings revealed a lack of knowledge among nurses and dissatisfaction with sexual healthcare. Barriers include time constraints, cultural factors, and personal reservations. Routine discussions are often absent due to inadequate training. Education- and system-based strategies are needed to enhance nurses’ competence in addressing sexual concerns. Implementing training programs, structured records, evaluation tools, concept maps, and system support would improve patient care and oncology nursing practices. Addressing these gaps with practical measures can enhance communication, patient satisfaction, and quality of life. This unique analysis was conducted by two experienced advanced nurses in the Middle East, were discussions about sex are often regarded as taboo.

Prof. Patricia Tai, a gold medal graduate from University of Hong Kong (ranked 35/100 globally), trained under renowned experts Prof. John Ho (nasopharyngeal cancer), Prof. David McDonald (brain tumor response: McDonald’s criteria), and Mr. Jake Van Dyk (medical physics). An international skin cancer specialist, she is the author of five UpToDate chapters (Wolters Kluwer, United States). She is also the Clinical Professor of University of Saskatchewan in Western Canada. She has 148 full publications, 126 conference abstracts, and 168 presentations. With 13 academic awards, her contributions to oncology and medical research continue to benefit the field