sexual health definition from the perspective of iranian experts and description its components

Background: Sexual health is one component of reproductive health that has great impact on the health of individual and society. Sexual health has expressed as a strategy to achieve the millennium development goals. To date, many Iranian studies have addressed the issue of reproductive and sexual health but no study has addressed the definition of sexual health and described its components. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the definition of sexual health and provide a description of its components. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from June 2009 to November 2013 in Tehran, Iran. Participants were Iranian sexual health experts selected by targeted sampling. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim with participants’ permission and then coded by researcher. Development of codes and themes was inductive and arose from the interviews. Data collection was stopped when data saturation was reached. Data was analyzed through conventional content analysis. Results: The theme of individual and family health was extracted from data. From this theme and its categories, the definition of sexual health and its components was extracted including knowledge and information (training needs), physical and mental health, economic needs, social and cultural values and religious values. Based on the results, the sexual health of adults is satisfying from sexual needs by establishing a healthy and socially defined relationship with someone of the opposite sex. Conclusion: According to this study, sexual health has a special definition in each age group and also has different requirements. To start a healthy sexual relationship, at first a correct relationship between a woman and a man must shape. A relationship that is based on customary, religious and social values. Sexual health is a system that consists of abstract components and without proper formation of each of these components we will not be able to access sexual health completely. It seems one of the most important components of sexual health is the knowledge and information about sexual issues. However, further studies are needed to confirm this result.