Journal of Education and Health Promotion

The association between sexual health literacy and sexual function of women in Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Leila Dehghankar
. Rahman Panahi 1
. Marzieh Khatooni 2
. Somayeh Fallah 3
. Farnoosh Moafi 2
. Mohammad Anbari 4
. Fatemeh Samiei Siboni 2

1 Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

2 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Research Institute for Prevention of Non Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

3 MSc of Midwifery, Children Growth Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

4 Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Considering the importance of sexual health literacy in promoting individual sexual
health and ultimately improving family and social health as well as the effect of health literacy on
sexual function, this study was designed and conducted to determine the association between sexual
health literacy and sexual function among women.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross‑sectional study. A total of 420 women referring
to health centers were entered into the study using one‑stage cluster sampling method. Data
collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, Iranian Adult Sexual Health Literacy
Assessment Questionnaire, and the Persian version of the Female Sexual Function Assessment
Questionnaire (FSFI). Data were collected and entered into SPSS 22 and logistic regression.
RESULTS: The results of the logistic regression test showed that the variable of sexual health literacy
was effective on women’s sexual function (P = 0.021) so that the chances of having a desirable sexual
function in women with excellent were 4.222 times more than women with inadequate health literacy;
the variables of employment status, level of education, duration of marital life, and the number of
sexual intercourses per recent week were the factors affecting women’s sexual function (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The results of this study pointed out the existence of an undesirable level of sexual
function and a desirable level of sexual health literacy among participating women. Hence, designing
and implementing the training plans to promote sexual function among these women is necessary.

Keywords

Health literacy
sexual dysfunction
sexual health
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 12, Issue 1
January 2022
Pages 1-6

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