Prerequisites of sexual health literacy promoting service: a qualitative study in Iran

Abstract

Background: Sexual health literacy is one of the determinants of the rate, factors, and outcomes of problems associated with sexual health and reproductive. The prerequisite of having and promoting this type of literacy is the appropriate organization and access to sexual health services. The current study was conducted with the objective of describing the perceptions and experiences of health care providers and recipients of sexual health literacy promoting services. Methods: The current qualitative study was conducted on 37 individuals in the form of 3 individual in-depth and semi-structured interviews and 4 focus group discussions (26 individuals) with service recipients (women of reproductive age), and 8 in-depth and semi-structured interviews with service providers in Amol from September 2019 to March 2020. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed through content analysis. Results: Data analysis resulted in the extraction of the theme titled “prerequisites of sexual health literacy promoting service” which consisted of two subthemes ‘client-oriented service’ and ‘efficient service’. In the client-oriented service attention must be paid to the client’s age, sex, needs and socio-cultural background. Efficient service is a service which is based on continuing sexual education, can reconstruct sexual attitudes, is professional, team-based, integrated into other services, and has a follow-up structure. Conclusions: The results outline the requirements for sexual health literacy promoting services which should be taken into consideration during the policymaking, planning and design of relevant health programs.