Sexual and Reproductive Health and Associated Challenges in Iranian Men: A Qualitative Study.

Research Questions (RQ): What factors do men and women think influence the quality of their reproductive health? What differences exist between men and women in their perception of their own reproductive health? How do stigmas and taboos affect reproductive health? Purpose: The purpose of this research was to examine the perspectives of men and women in the process of reproductive health care. Method: Qualitative method was used. Data was collected from a purposive sample through semi-structured interviews conducted in four focus groups. The data was analyzed using content analysis. Results: Results: three themes were identified through the qualitative analysis method: (1) reproductive health of men and women, (2) socio-cultural aspects of reproductive health, and (3) challenges of reproductive health. At the same time, 13 sub-themes were identified. The study showed that primary socialization has a significant impact on an individual's attitudes towards reproductive health in adulthood. It was found that women are more concerned about reproductive health than men. It was also found that stigmas and taboos, which prevent open discussion about reproductive health, have a major impact on the quality of reproductive health. This leads to lack of information, fear, discrimination and inequalities in access to health services. Organization: The research highlights the need for more education and emphasis on preventive care and reducing social exclusion and stigma related to reproductive health. Society: The results of the research contribute to a better understanding of men's and women's perceptions of reproductive health and how they think it is influenced by society. In this context, it also provides a better understanding of how stigmas and taboos affect reproductive health and how to seek help when reproductive health problems arise. Originality: The research provides insights into the specific nature of men's and women's reproductive health and how society views it. The originality of the research is that it offers a broad insight into how men and women understand reproductive health. It also provides an outline of the current state of reproductive health in society. Limitations/Future Research: The answers obtained from the interviewees are subjective in nature and are subject to interpretation by the researchers. It would be useful to conduct quantitative type of studies in the future. Also, one of the limitations is related to the research sample, which includes a set of interviewees from two Slovenian regions. In the future, it would be necessary to include interviewees from the whole of Slovenia so that the results can be generalized to the whole population.

What About the Boys? The Importance of Including Boys and Young Men in Sexual and Reproductive Health Research

Role of Males' in Reproductive and Sexual Health Decisions

BackgroundReproductive health of vulnerable adolescent girls is a top priority in global programs. Alcohol consumption, drug abuse, high risk sexual behaviors, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual assault, escape from home, unrestrained sex in the family, history of robbery, imprisonment and living in drug hangouts expose adolescents to different sorts of damage and injury. These adolescent girls are at risk of AIDS and other STDs, unwanted pregnancies, illegal and unsafe abortions, unplanned pregnancy and childbirth, and unsafe motherhood. Therefore, assessing these girls’ reproductive health needs and designing programs to improve their sexual and reproductive health seem to be essential. This study will be conducted to design a comprehensive program for improving the reproductive health of vulnerable adolescent girls.MethodsThe present study is an exploratory sequential mixed methods study (Qual-Quan) designed in three phases. In the first phase, a qualitative study will be used to describe the reproductive health needs of vulnerable adolescent girls, identify facilitating and inhibiting factors, and explain the strategies of reproductive health programs for these girls. Participants will be selected in this phase using purposive sampling method, and the data will be collected through semi-structured interviews. The obtained data will be analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis. In the second phase, through a quantitative study, the strategies obtained from the qualitative study and review of the literature will be provided to reproductive health care providers, experts, policymakers, and planners to prioritize and select the best strategies. In the third phase, the initial draft of the program will be formulated based on prioritized strategies and will be proposed in a panel comprised of specialists in the areas of reproductive and sexual health, health promotion, social injuries and a psychiatrist. Finally, the final program will be developed and presented after obtaining the agreement and approval of the panel members.DiscussionDesigning a program based on a qualitative study, review of the existing evidence and programs, and using the opinions of experts in different areas can lead to different aspects of reproductive and sexual health of vulnerable adolescent girls. On the other hand, taking into account all cultural sensitivities and taboos as well as political, economic and social barriers, the development of such a program can provide the appropriate possibility of presenting comprehensive reproductive and sexual health services to vulnerable adolescent girls and achieve the goals agreed universally.

Sexual health problems are not uncommon among young people in the Netherlands and finding the proper treatment for such problems is often challenging. More insight regarding young people's perceptions of sexuality and its associated problems is needed to improve both treatment and education. This qualitative study of 22 young people (aged 13 to 25 years) explored perceptions of sexuality and sexual health. The results show that sexuality is narrowly defined by young people, with focus clearly being placed on physical aspects of sexuality, and sexual intercourse in particular. Sexual problems are usually defined as physical or medical problems. The data show that participants had limited knowledge regarding sexual problems associated with sexual functioning. Schools, parents and culture all appear to play a role in perceptions of sexuality and sexual health. In their totality, the findings suggest that knowledge about the complexity of sexuality and sexual health is lacking among young people in the Netherlands. We recommend broader sexual health education programs in schools that include the discussion of multiple aspects of sexuality, including pleasure. We also suggest that parents take a more prominent role in educating their children about sexuality.

BackgroundLack of male involvement and support for sexual and reproductive health services is seen by many Papua New Guinean women as a barrier to accessing services. Poor utilization of services by both men and women is reflected in high maternal mortality and high rates of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections in the Southern Highlands Province. It is therefore important to understand the type of services provided, men’s perceptions of these services and the Health Sector’s capacity to involve men in its programs.MethodsInformation from interviews of married men, officers in charge of health facilities, and information from a focus group discussion with village leaders was collected to assess possible constraints to reproductive and sexual health care delivery.ResultsAlthough many men had heard about antenatal care, supervised births, family planning and sexually transmitted infections including, HIV/AIDS, many were unaware of their importance and of the types of services provided to address these issues. There was a very strong association between men’s literacy and their knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues, their discussion of these issues with their wives and their wives’ utilisation of sexual and reproductive health services. Some men considered SRH services to be important but gave priority to social obligations. Although men made most decisions for sexual and reproductive issues, pregnancy, child birth and rearing of children were regarded as women’s responsibilities. Knowledge of HIV/AIDS appeared to have changed sexual behaviour in some men. Services for men in this rural setting were inadequate and service providers lacked the capacity to involve men in reproductive health issues.ConclusionPoor knowledge, socio-cultural factors and inadequate and inappropriate services for men hampered utilization of services and impaired support for their wives’ service utilization. Programmatic and policy initiatives should focus on improving service delivery to accommodate men in sexual and reproductive health.

Background: Significant challenges regarding maternal and reproductive health persist in Pakistan, with the country facing substantial obstacles in accessing and utilizing services associated with reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health (RMNCH). Despite various initiatives, Pakistan continues to grapple with an alarming maternal mortality rate due to biological, socioeconomic, cultural factors, as well as inadequate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Persistent challenges such as a shortage of trained workforce, inadequate infrastructure, educational limitations, and societal restrictions, pose major roadblocks to improving maternal and reproductive health outcomes. This analysis aims to address the existing gaps in research and provide actionable recommendations for policy and practice. Methods: A comprehensive analysis adhered to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was conducted, encompassing peer-reviewed journals and grey literature published between 2010 and 2024. The review focused on studies in English on maternal and reproductive health topics, sourced from databases including PubMed, Google scholar, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane and MeSH terms. A total of 20 original, peer-assessed studies, comprising quantitative and qualitative research, were reviewed. Two authors independently screened the titles, abstracts and full-texts from the studies. Results: This systematic review synthesizes findings from 20 major studies on maternal and reproductive health issues in Pakistan. This review is qualitative in nature. Qualitative design were predominant comprising 35% (n= 7) of studies whereas quantitative approaches accounted for 10% (n=2). Cross-sectional surveys constituted 20% (n=4) of the studies, mixed-methods 15% (n=3), and other methodologies 20%. Most notably, no case-control or cohort studies were included. All studies were conducted in Pakistan focusing on maternal and reproductive health challenges such as maternal and child mortality, antenatal care, delivery, postnatal care, obstetric care barriers and socio-cultural factors. Of the studies, 70% (n=14) assessed maternal and reproductive health issues in Pakistan, while 30% (n=6) examined obstetric care barriers. Study populations included females of reproductive age, pregnant women, and postnatal women. Additionally, 60% (n=12) of studies focused on maternal and child mortality rates and 40% (n=8) addressed reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH). Studies on access barriers from maternal healthcare providers examined knowledge and competences, quality of care, and training gaps. Conclusion: This systematic review sheds light on a multifaceted landscape characterized by high maternal, fetal, and child mortality rates and persistent reproductive health issues in resource-limited countries like Pakistan. It highlights the impacts of educational gaps, socioeconomic status, cultural norms, political instability and systemic constraints that further complicate healthcare delivery. The review identifies significant barriers and opportunities for improvement, advocating for community-based programs, women’s empowerment, integrated healthcare frameworks, and strengthened healthcare provider training and supervision to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes and ensure a healthier future for mothers and children in Pakistan. Key words: Maternal Health, Reproductive Health, Pakistan, RMNCH, Maternal Mortality, Socioeconomic factors, SRH services, Healthcare barriers, Qualitative Research, PRISMA guidelines

Sexual health problems are not uncommon among adolescents in the Netherlands, and finding the proper treatment for such problems is often challenging. More insight regarding adolescents' perceptions of sexuality and its associated problems is needed to improve both treatment and education. This qualitative study of 22 adolescents (13 to 25 years) explored perceptions of sexuality and sexual health. The results show that sexuality is narrowly defined by adolescents, with focus clearly being placed on physical aspects of sexuality and sexual intercourse in particular. Sexual problems are usually defined as physical or medical problems. The data show that participants had limited knowledge regarding sexual problems associated with sexual functioning. Schools, parents, and culture all appear to play a role in perceptions of sexuality and sexual health. In their totality, the findings suggest that knowledge about the complexity of sexuality and sexual health is lacking among adolescents in the Netherlands. We recommend broader sexual health education programs in schools that include the discussion of multiple aspects of sexuality, including pleasure. We also suggest that parents take a more prominent role in educating their children about sexuality.

The clinical content of preconception care: preconception care for men

In order to be effective in discussing high-risk sexual behaviors with adolescents, mothers need to be educated about their adolescent daughters' sexual issues. As no detailed and exact knowledge on mothers' educational needs concerning adolescent girls' reproductive health is available, the current study was intended to investigate mothers' educational needs concerning their adolescent daughters' reproductive health. This research was a qualitative content analysis. Purposive sampling was performed to the saturation point. The samples included 26 mothers and 14 key informants. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Data authenticity was verified based on Lincoln and Guba's criteria and data analysis was conducted using conventional content analysis with MAXQDA10 software. In this study, three themes and 13 main categories, each with a number of subcategories were extracted. The themes and main categories included: "appropriate educational content (reproductive health, sexual health, general health, psychological health, family health, social health and spiritual health)", "characteristics of the educator (communicative skill, cognitive skill and moral competence)", and "effective factors in learning (teaching method, learning conditions and environment, and the learner's readiness)". The results demonstrated that mothers need to be informed about sexual, reproductive, general, psychological, family, social and spiritual health in adolescent girls. Consequently, the results can help the healthcare authorities to implement need-based programs and boost the effectiveness of education about adolescent girls' reproductive health for mothers.

Context: COVID-19 epidemic is a significant global concern. One of the most important aspects of health is sexual and reproductive health. COVID-19 would threaten sexual and reproductive health by risking the ability of service systems for providing relative health needs. A wide range of services and aspects of sexual and reproductive health has been affected by the global epidemic of COVID-19. The present study was conducted to determine the relation between COVID-19 epidemic and sexual and reproductive health of men and women to evaluate all the aspects of sexual and reproductive health and provide the best approach. Evidence Acquisition: To conduct the present narrative review study, databases including PubMed, Scopus, SID, MagIran, Embase, Web of Science, Medline, and Science Direct and also the scientific search engine of Google Scholar were searched using the keywords of COVID-19, reproductive health, sexual health, and fertility from November 2022 to January 2023. The articles were published from 2019 to 2022. The search for articles was conducted by two researchers, and the articles were extracted. No limitation was considered for the entry of the articles in the study based on their design. The inclusion criterion was the evaluation of the effect of COVID-19 on different sexual and reproductive aspects of men and women, and the exclusion criterion was the lack of access to the article’s full text. Results: Evaluation of 42 articles showed that COVID-19 had a significant effect on reproductive (family planning services, prenatal and post-partum care, safe abortion, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, domestic violence, intention for pregnancy and having children, and maternal and fetal complications) and sexual (sexual and reproductive glands, sexual function, and sexual quality of life) health. Conclusions: COVID-19 could affect different aspects of reproductive and sexual health in men and women. Therefore, it is recommended that, considering the occurred changes, effective policies and Plans would be implemented to provide quality services.

Photovoice: A Strategy to Better Understand the Reproductive and Sexual Health Needs of Young Mothers

Sexuality is a central part of being human, however, talking about sexual health is generally avoided in forensic psychiatry. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how healthcare professionals experience talking about sexuality and sexual health with patients cared for in forensic psychiatry. Individual interviews were conducted with eighteen healthcare professionals from ten different forensic psychiatry care units in Sweden. The interviews were semi-structured, and the data was analyzed with qualitative content analysis. The findings showed the overarching theme "Balancing on a slack line". The conversations the healthcare professionals have about sexuality and sexual health with patients in this setting are affected by forensic psychiatry's dual mission; to provide care and at the same time protect patients and society. These conversations can be about opening up for having responsive conversations, but also closing conversations since the field of sexuality and sexual health is fraught with norms and preconceptions. To be able to conduct these conversations can be a challenge since the professionals can experience uncertainty due to a lack of competence, indicating that knowledge and resources are needed to facilitate conversations. In conclusion, the study indicates that there is a lack of support and structure for performing conversations about sexuality and sexual health in forensic psychiatry care, and there is a need for increased knowledge among healthcare professionals. In order to support staff, the forensic psychiatry services need to acknowledge the national guidelines for sexual and reproductive health and rights and to develop and adapt the local guidelines.

Background:The United Nations has declared 2021–2030 the ‘Decade of Healthy Ageing’ and identified the need to strengthen the evidence base on interpretations and determinants of healthy ageing to inform policy.Objectives:This study sought to interrogate a ‘policy blind spot’ and examine interpretations and experiences of sexuality and sexual health within the context of ageing well among women aged 50+.Design:The qualitative study design was underpinned by an interpretivist epistemology. Research was guided by principles of feminist scholarship and located in an affirmative ageing framework.Methods:Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted between April–June 2019 with 21 English-speaking women aged 52–76. Women were recruited through community organizations in North West England. Transcripts were analysed using a framework approach to thematic analysis, applying an inductive approach to theme generation.Results:Narratives encompassed six broad themes: reflections on ‘ageing well’; age alone does not define sexuality and sexual health; interpretations of sexual health and sexuality; vulnerability and resistance in later-life sexual health; narratives of (in)visibility; and reimagining services to promote sexual health in later life. There was a dominant belief that sexual health represents a component of ageing well, despite a broad spectrum of sexual expression and health challenges. Sexual expression was diversely shaped by conflicting societal expectations within an evolving digitized environment. In clinical settings, however, sexual health discussions were often muted or framed from a disease-focussed lens. Women expressed a preference for holistic, person-centred sexual health provision from an orientation of wellness to support varied sexual expression, sensitive to wider health, life and relationship realities.Conclusion:This work strengthens calls to disentangle sexual health from disease-centred narratives and legitimize sexual health as part of the healthy ageing agenda.

Although much has recently been written on the reproductive health of men, there is relatively little research material on the reproductive and sexual behavior of young men in Fiji and there has been no research to identify factors influencing behavior.In this study an empirical investigation on men's sexual behavior before and after European contact is examined to enable an understanding of the changing cultural expectations and values of sexuality.Social factors currently influencing reproductive health knowledge, attitudes and behavior are also identified. This study uses both quantitative and qualitative research methods including questionnaire interviews,in-depth interviews,focus group discussions,archival materials, informal interviews and participant observation to bridge this gap. Questionnaire interviews were statistically analyzed using bi-variate and multivariate analyses identifying factors that influence reproductive and sexual behavior. Different factors were found to influence different behavior.The thesis identifies socio-demographic factors that influence sexual behavior. These include the sources of information, education,age,religion and religiosity, area of childhood upbringing, parent's occupation, knowledge and attitudes to different sexual behaviors, and knowledge and attitudes to contraceptive use, use of available services, and risk behavior. The research finding shows that Fijian men in 2001 were aware that they play an important role in addressing the reproductive and sexual health issues of the community.However,they are seldom actively engaged in promoting reproductive health because culture dictates that women are responsible for reproductive health issues while men are the main source of income in the family.Traditional values have changed over time and these roles are at times modified or reversed.Western cultural practices brought to Fiji over the past 200 years have resulted in the mixing of culture and uncertainty about the appropriateness of competing values. Traditional institutions for the education of young people are fast being displaced and the traditional family system is crumbling. Alternative institutions have not emerged to offer adequate alternatives.This has resulted in young people being ill informed on sexual and reproductive behaviors. Knowledge and use of available services is very low.The condom is a commonly known contraceptive method but men are not aware of other methods.The results show that contraceptive use is uncommon. Their knowledge is limited because they have a narrow range of sources of information on sexuality and they are misinformed about this taboo topic. The end result is a high incidence of teenage pregnancy and high incidence of STis among the indigenous Fijian population. Attitudes to sexual behaviour,including dating, premarital coitus, homosexuality, and commercial sex workers conform to society's expectations. Although these are not culturally acceptable they are becoming normal practice in society…