Developing a web-based sexual health support program (AURORAS) for urogenital cancer survivors

Urogenital neoplasms, common in middle-aged patients, cause pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction. limited access to specialized services for urogenital cancer survivors (UGCS), necessitating alternative ways. Using a mixed-methods design and participatory design approach, this project will integrate 3 studies and aim to develop a web-based sexual health support program (WBSHP) based on survivors’ unmet psychosexual needs and to determine its acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy in managing pelvic pain and sexual function difficulties, ultimately intended to promote pelvic, mental, and sexual health and QoL in UGCS and their partners. Study 1 is a systematic literature review, following PRISMA guidelines, and will inform studies 2 and 3. Aims to summarize existing literature on online and e-mental and sexual health care services for promoting pelvic, mental, and sexual health of UGCS. Study 2 is a qualitative thematic analysis, conducted via in-depth interviews with a group of UGCS and their partners with maximum variation and focus groups with health care providers to explore the impact of UG cancers on survivors’ QoL and their unmet psychosexual care needs and to develop an evidence-based intervention program, integrated with the systematic literature review results, tailored to their needs. Study 3 is a pilot study assessing the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of a co-developed WBSHP intervention (AURORAS) among UGCS and their partners. Eligible participants, recruited from 3 research sites in Iran, after ethical approval, informed consent, and pre-test assessment will be randomized to either the experimental group receiving intervention (N = 30) or the waiting list group receiving treatment as usual (N = 30). Mid-test, post-test assessments, and follow-up at 3 months after program completion will be conducted. The waiting list group will receive AURORAS access and the same treatment protocol after 8 weeks of randomization.