Description

Autologous and Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) are potentially curative treatments for many patients with hematologic malignancies and benign hematologic conditions. The use of HCT has increased over the last decade. HCT survivors experience a substantial and drastic deterioration in their sexual function that persists for many years post-HCT. Sexual dysfunction is the most common long-term complication in HCT survivors. Sexual health problems have negative consequences on patients' quality of life (QOL) and mood, including the individual's identity and self-esteem, fatigue, relationship discord, intimacy problems, and distress. The etiology of sexual dysfunction in HCT survivors is multi-factorial, and can stem from biological, interpersonal, psychological, and social factors. Given the multi-factorial nature underlying sexual dysfunction in this population, a multimodal approach is required to address them. Clinicians lack sufficient training to address sexual health problems in HCT survivors. HCT survivors report having little communication with their clinicians about sexual health. HCT survivors would benefit from interventions to empower them to communicate with their clinicians about their sexual health.

Despite the well-documented burden of sexual dysfunction in HCT survivors, interventions tailored to address their unique sexual health concerns are lacking. Given the multi-factorial nature of sexual health concerns in HCT survivors, interventions must address these diverse needs, and should therefore ideally be addressed by a multidisciplinary team of sexual health experts, psychologists, gynecologists, and urologists. Although a few transplant centers have a multidisciplinary sexual health clinic, the lack of professionals trained in addressing sexual health concerns severely limits the dissemination of such a complex service model. In addition, HCT survivors often find it difficult to attend multiple clinic appointments and coordinate their care among various specialists. Limited availability of sexual health clinicians also hinders the scalability and dissemination of sexual health interventions to address the needs of HCT survivors. Digital health interventions can enhance access and broad dissemination of psychological and supportive care interventions and will enable patients to access the intervention in the privacy of their home given the sensitivity of the topic, engage their partners with the content, and avoid additional clinic visits. A successful evidence-based sexual health intervention was adapted to a digital app for HCT survivors. The active components of an in-person sexual health intervention for HCT survivors were leveraged to develop the self-administered digital application, Sexual Health and Intimacy Following Transplant (SHIFT) to address the sexual health concerns of HCT survivors. This multi-site randomized trial will test the efficacy SHIFT for improving sexual health outcomes, quality of life, and psychological distress in HCT survivors.