Help-seeking challenges for female sexual concerns: a qualitative study from Iran
Abstract Background To effectively manage sexual health, people must have access to sexual health services. A small percentage of women with sexual concerns seek professional help. Hence, the need to explain the help-seeking challenges is felt from the perspective of women and health care providers....
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09719-7 |
| _version_ | 1797789851104313344 |
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| author | Raziyeh Maasoumi Shadi Sabetghadam Afsaneh Keramat Seyed Shahrokh Aghayan |
| author_facet | Raziyeh Maasoumi Shadi Sabetghadam Afsaneh Keramat Seyed Shahrokh Aghayan |
| author_sort | Raziyeh Maasoumi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background To effectively manage sexual health, people must have access to sexual health services. A small percentage of women with sexual concerns seek professional help. Hence, the need to explain the help-seeking challenges is felt from the perspective of women and health care providers. Methods This study explored Iranian women’s challenges when seeking help for sexual concerns. Using a purposive sampling method, 26 in-depth interviews were conducted in Rasht in 2019–2020. The participants included sexually active women of reproductive age over 18 years old and 8 health care providers. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed through content analysis. Results From the description of 17 subthemes provided by the participants, two main themes were achieved, “Unfavorable sexuality development context” and “Inefficient sexual health services.” Conclusions According to the results, it is suggested that policymakers pay more attention to the challenges women and health care providers face in help-seeking and promote sexuality education and sexual health services to achieve a higher level of help-seeking among women. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:56:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-74049d9673ee4dfab48f161615b49855 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:56:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-74049d9673ee4dfab48f161615b498552023-07-02T11:11:30ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632023-06-0123111110.1186/s12913-023-09719-7Help-seeking challenges for female sexual concerns: a qualitative study from IranRaziyeh Maasoumi0Shadi Sabetghadam1Afsaneh Keramat2Seyed Shahrokh Aghayan3Department of Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical SciencesStudent Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Reproductive health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahroud University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background To effectively manage sexual health, people must have access to sexual health services. A small percentage of women with sexual concerns seek professional help. Hence, the need to explain the help-seeking challenges is felt from the perspective of women and health care providers. Methods This study explored Iranian women’s challenges when seeking help for sexual concerns. Using a purposive sampling method, 26 in-depth interviews were conducted in Rasht in 2019–2020. The participants included sexually active women of reproductive age over 18 years old and 8 health care providers. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed through content analysis. Results From the description of 17 subthemes provided by the participants, two main themes were achieved, “Unfavorable sexuality development context” and “Inefficient sexual health services.” Conclusions According to the results, it is suggested that policymakers pay more attention to the challenges women and health care providers face in help-seeking and promote sexuality education and sexual health services to achieve a higher level of help-seeking among women.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09719-7Sexual healthSexual dysfunctionsHelp-seeking behaviorHealth servicesHealthcare providersQualitative research |
| spellingShingle | Raziyeh Maasoumi Shadi Sabetghadam Afsaneh Keramat Seyed Shahrokh Aghayan Help-seeking challenges for female sexual concerns: a qualitative study from Iran BMC Health Services Research Sexual health Sexual dysfunctions Help-seeking behavior Health services Healthcare providers Qualitative research |
| title | Help-seeking challenges for female sexual concerns: a qualitative study from Iran |
| title_full | Help-seeking challenges for female sexual concerns: a qualitative study from Iran |
| title_fullStr | Help-seeking challenges for female sexual concerns: a qualitative study from Iran |
| title_full_unstemmed | Help-seeking challenges for female sexual concerns: a qualitative study from Iran |
| title_short | Help-seeking challenges for female sexual concerns: a qualitative study from Iran |
| title_sort | help seeking challenges for female sexual concerns a qualitative study from iran |
| topic | Sexual health Sexual dysfunctions Help-seeking behavior Health services Healthcare providers Qualitative research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09719-7 |
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