Caring for a Spouse after Prostate Surgery: The Preparedness Needs of Wives

Abstract

This study describes wives' self-reports of preparedness to care for their husbands' physical and emotional needs during the first 6 months after surgery for prostate cancer. The research questions addressed in this article are part of a larger study designed to test the effects of a standardized nursing intervention protocol (SNIP) on quality-of-life outcomes in men postprostatectomy. The Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCGS) was administered to wives, and an open-ended questionnaire solicited wives' descriptions of how they felt unprepared. The results suggest that nursing services are needed after hospital discharge to support patients and family caregivers to manage the physical and emotional effects related to the cancer diagnosis and treatment. The information gained can be used to refine a home-based nursing intervention to facilitate caregivers' preparedness to enhance patients' physical function and psychosocial adaptation, and ultimately the couple's quality of life.

“I wish I’d told them”: A qualitative study examining the unmet psychosexual needs of prostate cancer patients during follow-up after treatment

“…Psychosocial support may be provided to cancer patients by family and friends [36,37]. However, some men express concerns about burdening those closest to them and want to avoid seeming over-dependent on their partners.…”

The Effects of Age, Ethnicity, Sexual Dysfunction, Urinary Incontinence, Masculinity, and Relationship with the Partner on the Quality of Life of Men with Prostate Cancer

“…Relationship troubles were found to be due to communication issues and perceived changes of roles of both partners (Galbraith & Crighton, 2008;Giarelli et al, 2003). The decreased expression of emotions and experiences among men were also explained by the concept of masculinity.…”

“…Relationship with the partner has been found to be affected by decreased intimacy and shift of the partner image from the lover to the caregiver (Galbraith & Crighton, 2008;Giarelli et al, 2003). The relationship between ethnicity and QOL in men diagnosed with prostate cancer has not been extensively examined, especially in a unique multiethnic Hispanic community that is includes Cuban, Columbian, Venezuelan, Haitian, other Latin American and Caribbean communities.…”

“…Erectile dysfunction was associated with increased conflict and decreased relationship satisfaction (McCabe & Matic, 2008). Relationship troubles were identified to be due to communication issues and perceived changes of roles of both partners (Galbraith & Crighton, 2008;Giarelli et al, 2003).…”

“…Studies reported that sexual dysfunction was the most significant and bothersome side effect of prostate cancer treatment (Hoznek et al, 2005;Wei et al, 2002). QOL was documented to be one of the major outcomes of prostate cancer treatment, along with sexuality and the relationship with the partner (Badr, Carmak, Taylor, 2009;Giarelli et al, 2003). As a result of decreased sexual functioning, men's masculinity is affected (Sanders, Pedro, Bantum, & Galbraith, 2006).…”