Abstract
Background
Cancer and associated treatment can have a significant and detrimental impact on a person’s sexual wellbeing. Sexual attitudes and beliefs of healthcare professionals (HPs) working in cancer care settings can affect the support provided to help patients and partners to manage these concerns. This study evaluated psychometric properties of the Sexual Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (SABS-C8) adapted for use in cancer care settings.
Methods
Adaptation of original SABS was informed by evidence reviews and an expert panel of researchers. The 12-item SABS was completed by HPs working in cancer care (n = 391) prior to completing an eLearning intervention aimed at promoting provision of sexual support to patients and partners. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted, reliability and validity of the scale were also explored.
Results
EFA showed potential for a three-factor model, with CFA indicating a better model fit (CMIN/DF < 3; GFI > .9; CFI > .9 and < RMSEA < .08) for 8 of the SABS-C items, lending support for a unidimensional model, with moderately acceptable reliability of.69. The 8-item scale was also able to discriminate between known groups with lower attitudinal barriers to providing sexual support apparent in HPs with over 12 years of experience, in nurses compared with other HPs, and in those with previous sexual wellbeing education (p < 0.001).
Conclusion
The SABS-C8 is a brief scale with acceptable reliability that can be used to assess attitudinal barriers to sexual support and help to identify HPs learning needs around providing sexual support in cancer care.
Cancer and associated treatment can have a significant and detrimental impact on a person’s sexual wellbeing. Sexual attitudes and beliefs of healthcare professionals (HPs) working in cancer care settings can affect the support provided to help patients and partners to manage these concerns. This study evaluated psychometric properties of the Sexual Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (SABS-C8) adapted for use in cancer care settings.
Methods
Adaptation of original SABS was informed by evidence reviews and an expert panel of researchers. The 12-item SABS was completed by HPs working in cancer care (n = 391) prior to completing an eLearning intervention aimed at promoting provision of sexual support to patients and partners. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted, reliability and validity of the scale were also explored.
Results
EFA showed potential for a three-factor model, with CFA indicating a better model fit (CMIN/DF < 3; GFI > .9; CFI > .9 and < RMSEA < .08) for 8 of the SABS-C items, lending support for a unidimensional model, with moderately acceptable reliability of.69. The 8-item scale was also able to discriminate between known groups with lower attitudinal barriers to providing sexual support apparent in HPs with over 12 years of experience, in nurses compared with other HPs, and in those with previous sexual wellbeing education (p < 0.001).
Conclusion
The SABS-C8 is a brief scale with acceptable reliability that can be used to assess attitudinal barriers to sexual support and help to identify HPs learning needs around providing sexual support in cancer care.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 100006 |
| Journal | Measurement and Evaluations in Cancer Care |
| Volume | 2 |
| Early online date | 10 May 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published online - 10 May 2024 |
Keywords
- Attitudes
- Cancer
- Evaluation
- Factor analysis
- Psychometric
- Quantitative
- Scale development
- Sexuality
