Background: Changes to sexual wellbeing can negatively impact long-term quality of life for cancer patients and their partners. Rekindle is a web-based resource aiming to provide accessible, private and tailored psychosexual support to all cancer survivors and their partners, independently or together, identifying sexual challenges. Rekindle includes evidence-based strategies to empower users to manage sexual changes using video tutorials and interactive activities.
Aims: To assess the uptake and reach of Rekindle to provide psychosexual support to cancer survivors and partners in need.
Methods: Rekindle is being evaluated in a randomised control trial over 10 weeks. Participants include adult cancer survivors who completed primary cancer treatment 6-months prior to enrolment and their partners who identified at least one psychosexual unmet need. A multi-pronged recruitment strategy via the media, Cancer Council, clinician referrals from 30 sites across Australia, and registry databases is being applied.
Results: Since Rekindle’s launch in February 2015,196 participants have enrolled with a median age 53 (21-87) years, female:male 67:33%, 86% were in a relationship, 9% identified as same-sex attracted, most were breast (70% of females) or prostate cancer survivors (72% of males), and the remainder were from a range of tumour groups. A third (33%) were recruited via online strategies and through Cancer Council (21%). Based on postcodes from 191 participants 63% were from major cities, 24% inner regional, 13% outer regional, and none from remote or very remote locations. The majority (88%) of participants viewed Rekindle on desktop computers.
Conclusions: Rekindle enrolment to date highlights the significance of psychosexual unmet needs. Online strategies are encouraging Rekindle’s recruitment, and additional efforts to recruit males will be prioritised. Rekindle is showing promise at addressing sexual concerns amongst both cancer survivors and partners.