Table 3.
Factors associated with sexual functioning (SAQ-F) subscales in sexually active breast cancer survivors
| Variables | Pleasure (SAQ-P)a Linear regression |
Discomfort (SAQ-D)b Linear regression |
Tirednessc Linear regression |
Habit (SAQ-H)d,e Logistic regression |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | 95% CI | B | 95% CI | B | 95% CI | OR | 95% CI | |
| Age at survey (years) | – | – | – | – | − 0.02 | − 0.03, − 0.004 | 1.00 | 0.97, 1.03 |
| Not living with partner | 1.68 | 0.78, 2.58 | − 0.87 | − 1.33, − 0.41 | − 0.38 | − 0.59, − 0.16 | 0.40 | 0.23, 0.69 |
| Education ≤ 12 years | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| No paid work at survey | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Mastectomy (BCT = ref) | − 0.04 | − 0.78, 0.71 | 0.20 | − 1.18, 0.59 | 0.04 | − 0.14, 0.22 | 1.10 | 0.74, 1.62 |
| Chemotherapy | − 0.33 | − 1.05, 0.40 | 0.19 | − 0.18, 0.57 | 0.13 | − 0.05, 0.31 | 1.91 | 1.23, 2.97 |
| Radiotherapy | 0.69 | − 0.18, 1.55 | − 0.28 | − 0.72, 0.17 | − 0.05 | − 0.25, 0.15 | – | – |
| Endocrine treatment (ET) | ||||||||
| No ET (ref) | – | – | – | – | ||||
| Aromatase inhibitor | − 0.63 | − 1.42, 0.16 | 0.61 | 0.20, 1.01 | 0.11 | − 0.08, 0.31 | 1.01 | 0.62, 1.64 |
| Tamoxifen | 0.06 | − 0.78, 0.89 | 0.07 | − 0.36, 0.50 | 0.05 | − 0.15, 0.24 | 0.65 | 0.40, 1.08 |
| Unknown type | 0.74 | − 0.76, 2.23 | − 0.30 | − 1.08, 0.48 | − 0.04 | − 0.40, 0.31 | 0.96 | 0.39, 2.37 |
| ET at present | − 0.38 | − 1.19, 0.43 | 0.28 | − 0.13, 0.69 | − 0.01 | − 0.19, 0.18 | 1.98 | 1.21, 3.25 |
| Somatic comorbidity | ||||||||
| No disease (ref) | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1–2 comorbid disease(s) | – | – | 0.08 | − 0.29, 0.45 | 0.08 | − 0.09, 0.24 | 0.85 | 0.56, 1.29 |
| ≥ 3 comorbid diseases | – | – | 0.35 | − 0.18, 0.88 | 0.01 | − 0.23, 0.25 | 1.49 | 0.80, 2.78 |
| Sleep problems | − 0.33 | − 0.97, 0.32 | 0.37 | 0.04, 0.70 | 0.04 | − 0.12, 0.19 | 1.02 | 0.69, 1.50 |
| Painf | 0.003 | − 0.01, 0.02 | 0.003 | − 0.004, 0.01 | 0.003 | 0.000, 0.006 | 1.00 | 0.99, 1.01 |
| Breast symptomsf | – | – | 0.01 | 0.003, 0.02 | − 0.001 | − 0.006, 0.003 | 1.00 | 0.99, 1.01 |
| Body imagef | 0.001 | − 0.01, 0.02 | − 0.01 | − 0.01, 0.003 | − 0.002 | − 0.005, 0.001 | 0.98 | 0.98, 0.99 |
| Chronic fatigue | − 0.56 | − 1.30, 0.17 | 0.43 | 0.05, 0.81 | 0.33 | 0.16, 0.50 | 1.54 | 0.99, 2.40 |
| Obesity | – | – | − 0.63 | − 1.07, − 0.19 | – | – | – | – |
| Physically inactive | − 0.61 | − 1.21, − 0.02 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Anxiety disorder | − 0.34 | − 1.70, 1.03 | 0.26 | − 0.46, 0.97 | 0.18 | − 0.14, 0.51 | 0.87 | 0.36, 2.12 |
| Major depression | − 1.04 | − 2.10, − 0.02 | − 0.44 | − 0.97, 0.09 | 0.21 | − 0.03, 0.45 | 1.01 | 0.53, 1.93 |
Results from multivariable analyses adjusted for all variables listed. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) associations are indicated in bold
B beta coefficient, CI confidence interval, OR odds ratio, BCT breast-conserving therapy
aAdjusted R2 0.059
bAdjusted R2 0.125
cAdjusted R2 0.158
dNagelkerke R2 0.174
eSAQ-H dichotomized into less vs same/more (reference) sexual activity after breast cancer diagnosis
fScale 0–100 (a higher score corresponds to more pain and breast symptoms and a better body image)