Reproductive Concerns and Associated Factors Among Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors in Uganda: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose:

Reproductive health (RH) is a critical issue among cancer survivors worldwide. However, in developing countries where RH services for patients with cancer are often lacking, reproductive concerns among adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors remain uncertain. In this study, we assessed the reproductive concerns of AYA cancer survivors in a resource-limited context of Uganda.

Methods:

We collected data from AYA cancer survivors at two facilities in Uganda using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were calculated, one-way analysis of variance was used for intergroup comparisons, and multiple regressions were used to test for predictors of reproductive concerns.

Results:

A total of 110 AYA cancer survivors, with a median age of 20 years (interquartile range [IQR], 18–22), were interviewed. More than half (53.6%) of the respondents were males. The median time since cancer diagnosis was 19 months (IQR, 13.0–35.0). Almost all (91.8%) respondents had a future desire to have children, but only 15.5% received reproductive counseling. The mean total score for the reproductive concern subscales was highest for the fertility concern, followed by the information-seeking and health-related concerns. Reproductive counseling, desire to have children, and respondents’ age were the factors influencing reproductive concern.

Conclusions:

The study shows a strong desire for biological parenthood with very low reproductive counseling among AYA cancer survivors, who remain concerned about their fertility, information needs, and health. This outcome underscores the need to integrate RH services into resource-limited cancer care settings.