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Exploring the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of women treated for cervical cancer at Windhoek Central Hospital
Thesis (MHumanRehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867614087964262400 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Rugara, Mellody |
| author2 | Mji, Gubela |
| author_browse | Mji, Gubela Rugara, Mellody |
| author_facet | Mji, Gubela Rugara, Mellody |
| author_sort | Rugara, Mellody |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MHumanRehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134793 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:28.519Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134793 Exploring the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of women treated for cervical cancer at Windhoek Central Hospital Rugara, Mellody Mji, Gubela Roomaney, Rizwana Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Centre for Disability & Rehabilitation Studies. Cervical cancer -- Patients -- Sexual behavior -- Windhoek (Namibia) Cervix uteri -- Cancer -- Patients -- Psychology -- Windhoek (Namibia) Cancer survivors -- Sexual behavior -- Windhoek (Namibia) Cancer -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Windhoek (Namibia) Sexual health -- Windhoek (Namibia) Women -- Health and hygiene -- Windhoek (Namibia) UCTD Thesis (MHumanRehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Rugara, M. 2025. Exploring the Experiences Related to Sexuality and Intimacy of Women Treated for Cervical Cancer at Windhoek Central Hospital. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/d76082b9-faee-48a2-b303-415d3a923085 ENGLISH SUMMARY: Background: Cervical cancer negatively affects female sexuality and intimate relationships. Challenges related to sexuality and intimacy arise not only from the disease but also from post-treatment effects like vaginal shortening, pain, bleeding, and diminished desire to have sexual intercourse. In Namibia, most research focuses on cervical cancer screening and prevention, however, there is no published research on the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of cervical cancer survivors after the completion of cervical cancer treatment. Study Aim: This study aimed to explore and describe the sexuality and intimacy experiences of women who completed treatment for cervical cancer and were being followed up at Windhoek Central Hospital. Methods: An explorative, qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was conducted. The study utilised both purposive and convenience sampling strategies to recruit participants. Data was collected using in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and the transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: The study sample consisted of fifteen women, ranging in age from 34 to 50 years. Of the fifteen participants, eight were married, six were in a relationship but not married, and one was not in a relationship. The participants reported experiencing physical symptoms of cervical cancer, including pain, bleeding, and vaginal discharge. Participants experienced treatment-related effects, including vaginal shrinkage, dryness, and diminished desire to engage in sexual activity, leading to disruptions or even cessation of sexual activity. Additionally, they faced challenges within their intimate relationships, such as limited partner support, instances of abandonment, financial neglect, and a lack of communication about sexual issues. Participants also expressed fears about resuming sexual activity and feelings of lost femininity due to infertility. They identified open communication and spiritual coping as essential strategies for navigating these life changes. In many situations, healthcare providers lacked knowledge of cervical cancer symptoms, did not address sexual issues before or after treatment, and did not address cervical cancer survivors’ psychosocial concerns such as worries about cervical cancer, its treatment, and altered life experiences. Conclusion: Many participants encountered challenges in their intimate relationships due to sexual difficulties arising from cervical cancer symptoms and the effects of treatment. Recommendations for addressing sexual health issues and partner-inclusive psychosexual and psychosocial support in the care of cervical cancer survivors, and the development of new lines of research are discussed. This includes research into exploring the barriers healthcare providers face in addressing sexual health in the context of cervical cancer and exploring cervical cancer survivors and their partners’ experiences related to sexuality and intimate relationships. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Servikale kanker het ‘n negatiewe invloed op vrouens se seksuele en intieme lewe. Uitdagings wat gepaard gaan met seksualiteit en intimiteit ontstaan nie net van die kanker self nie maar ook van die behandeling se newe-effekte soos vaginale verkorting, pyn, bloeding en ‘n verlaagde begeerte vir seksuele omgang. In Namibia, fokus meeste navorsing op servikale kanker sifting en voorkoming, maar daar is nie gepubliseerde navorsing oor die geleefde ervaring verwant aan die seksualiteit en intimiteit van servikale kanker oorlewendes na servikale kanker behandeling nie. Studie Doel: Hierdie studie is daarop gemik om die ervaring verwant aan die seksualiteit en intimiteit van vroue wat servikale kanker behandeling voltooi het en wie opgevolg is by Windhoek Sentraal Hospitaal, te verken en beskryf. Metode: ‘n Verkennende, kwalitatiewe, fenomenologiese studie was uitgevoer. Die studie het beide doelgerigte en gerief monsterstrategiee gebruik om deelnemers te werf. Inligting is versamel deur middel van in-diepte, van aangesig tot aangesig, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. Die onderhoude was oudio-opgeneem, woordeliks getranskribeer en die transkripsies was ontleed deur middel van tematiese analise. Bevindings: Die studiesteekproef het bestaan uit vyftien vroue, wat wissel in ouderdom van 34 tot 50 jaar. Van die vyftien deelnemers was agt getroud, ses was in verhoudings maar nie getroud nie, en een was nie in 'n verhouding nie. Die deelnemers her rapporteer dat hulle fisiese simptome van servikale kanker ervaar het wat insluit pyn, bloeding, en vaginale uitskeiding. Deelnemers het ook behandeling verwante uitwerkings rapporteer, insluitend vaginale verkorting, droogheid, en ‘n verminderde dryf vir seksuele aktiwiteite wat lei tot ontwrigtings of selfs staking van sesksuele aktivitieite. Daarbysaam, het hulle uitdagings ondervind binne hulle intieme verhoudings, soos beperkte ondersteuning van lewensmaats, gevalle van verlating, finansiele verwaarloosing en ‘n gebrek aan kommunikasie oor seksuele probleme. Deelnemers het hulle vrese oor die hervat van seksuele aktiwiteite en gevoelens oor verlore vroulikheid as gevolg van onvrugbaarheid, uitgespreek. Hulle het oop kommunikasie en geestelike hantering as noodsaaklike strategiee identifiseer om hierdie lewensveranderinge deur te bring. In baie gevalle, het gesondheidswerkers se kennis oor die simptome van servikale kanker ontbreek, het hulle nie seksuele probleme voor of na behandeling aangespreek nie en het hulle ook nie oorlewendes van servikale kanker se psigososiale bekommernisse soos stress oor die kanker, die behandeling daarvan en veranderde lewenservarings aangespreek nie. Gevolgtrekking: Baie deelnemers het uitdagings teegekom in hulle initieme verhoudings as gevolg van seksuele moeilikhede wat onstaan uit die simptome van servikale kanker en die newe-effekte van behandeling. Aanbevelings vir gesondheidswerkers en die behoefte aan professionele ontwikkeling, kommunikasie en die ontwikkeling van nuwe navorsing is bespreek. Aanbevelings vir die aanpak van seksuele gesondheidskwessies en vennoot-insluitende psigoseksuele en psigososiale ondersteuning in die versorging van servikale kanker oorlewendes, en die ontwikkeling van nuwe navorsingslyne word bespreek. Dit sluit in navorsing oor die ondersoek van die hindernisse wat gesondheidsorgverskaffers in die gesig staar om seksuele gesondheid in die konteks van servikale kanker aan te spreek, en die ondersoek van ervarings van servikale kanker oorlewendes en hul vennote wat verband hou met seksualiteit en intieme verhoudings. Masters 2026-01-08T07:05:21Z 2026-01-08T07:05:21Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134793 en Stellenbosch University xv, 175 pages ; includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Cervical cancer -- Patients -- Sexual behavior -- Windhoek (Namibia) Cervix uteri -- Cancer -- Patients -- Psychology -- Windhoek (Namibia) Cancer survivors -- Sexual behavior -- Windhoek (Namibia) Cancer -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Windhoek (Namibia) Sexual health -- Windhoek (Namibia) Women -- Health and hygiene -- Windhoek (Namibia) UCTD Rugara, Mellody Exploring the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of women treated for cervical cancer at Windhoek Central Hospital |
| title | Exploring the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of women treated for cervical cancer at Windhoek Central Hospital |
| title_full | Exploring the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of women treated for cervical cancer at Windhoek Central Hospital |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of women treated for cervical cancer at Windhoek Central Hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of women treated for cervical cancer at Windhoek Central Hospital |
| title_short | Exploring the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of women treated for cervical cancer at Windhoek Central Hospital |
| title_sort | exploring the experiences related to sexuality and intimacy of women treated for cervical cancer at windhoek central hospital |
| topic | Cervical cancer -- Patients -- Sexual behavior -- Windhoek (Namibia) Cervix uteri -- Cancer -- Patients -- Psychology -- Windhoek (Namibia) Cancer survivors -- Sexual behavior -- Windhoek (Namibia) Cancer -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Windhoek (Namibia) Sexual health -- Windhoek (Namibia) Women -- Health and hygiene -- Windhoek (Namibia) UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134793 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rugaramellody exploringtheexperiencesrelatedtosexualityandintimacyofwomentreatedforcervicalcanceratwindhoekcentralhospital |