Hematology and Oncology Fellow Education About Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Survey of Program Directors in the United States

Abstract

PURPOSE Clinical oncology guidelines recommend addressing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) concerns in routine cancer care. However, limited training often hinders clinicians' ability to do so effectively. The objective of this study was to understand the state of current fellowship education on SRH (ie, sexual health, safe sex practices, and fertility) through conducting a national survey of US hematology/oncology fellowship program directors (PDs). METHODS A survey was sent to all PDs of adult hematology/oncology fellowship programs in the United States via online link. PDs who did not complete the survey were sent up to four follow-up emails and a paper mailing. Descriptive statistics and McNemar tests were conducted. RESULTS One hundred-fourteen PDs responded (65%). Fewer programs offered formal instruction on sexual health (49%) and safe sex practices (37%) compared with fertility (75%). Informal training in SRH relied heavily on direct clinical experience (73%-78% of programs), with other methods (eg, case-based approaches, webinars, and journal clubs) being less common. Lack of experts to provide instruction was the most commonly cited barrier to offering training in SRH, endorsed by 74% for sexual health, 68% for safe sex practices, and 54% for fertility; difficulty finding space within the curriculum (50%; 54%; and 43%, respectively) and a lack of training requirements were also commonly endorsed (57%; 60%; and 35%, respectively). Barriers were endorsed more commonly for sexual health topics than fertility. CONCLUSION The results highlight the scarcity of training in SRH, particularly in sexual health, within hematology/oncology fellowship programs. The heavy reliance on informal instruction methods may lead to inconsistent and inadequate education. Efforts to integrate comprehensive training in SRH into fellowship programs are crucial to ensuring that such concerns are included in routine cancer care.