Sexual and Romantic Relationships: Experiences of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors

This study examined the quality and satisfaction of sexual/romantic relationships of adolescents/young adults (AYAs) who recently completed cancer treatment. AYAs between 16 and 26 years old (62.5% female) and less than 24 months post-treatment were interviewed using the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) interview. Of 43 participants, 16 (37.2%) were in a relationship at time of the interview; eight (50%) reported minor relationship/sexual difficulties. AYAs identified emotional support with their partner as positive aspects of their relationships, and described relational conflict associated with communication difficulties and loss of sexual interest. Better understanding the factors that enable healthy relationships warrants further exploration.