J Menopausal Med.  2018 Apr;24(1):41-49. 10.6118/jmm.2018.24.1.41.

Sexual Disharmony in Menopausal Women and Their Husband: A Qualitative Study of Reasons, Strategies, and Ramifications

• Ghazanfarpour M
• Khadivzadeh T
• Roudsari R

• KMID: 2429219
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.6118/jmm.2018.24.1.41

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The goal of this study was to explore perceptions and experiences of general practitioners and midwives during sexual dialogue with menopausal women.
METHODS
In a descriptive exploratory qualitative study, 13 midwives and 12 general practitioners were selected using a semi-structured interview and purposive sampling method. Data analysis was conducted using qualitative content analysis adopted by Graneheim and Lundman.
RESULTS
Through data analysis "sexual disharmony" emerged as a central theme, which included three categories of reasons, strategies, and ramifications of sexual disharmony. Reasons for sexual disharmony included subcategories of aging and health related-problems, marital problems, and stereotypical perceptions regarding menopause and sexuality and daily concerns. Strategies used by couples to address sexual disharmony consisted of changing roles and values, pretending to reach orgasm, suppressing sexual desire, meeting sexual needs of husbands in accordance with religious rules, seeking help of peers, seeking friends or traditional medicine and health providers, seeking a help charmer, engaging in sex with other women to fulfill sexual needs, pretending to be moody to alleviate sexual tension. Sexual disharmony may lead to spending money on a prostitute instead of engaging in sex out of wedlock or a surge in social pathologies such as sexually transmitted disease.
CONCLUSIONS
Healthcare providers must be aware of various sexual behavior of menopausal women and their husbands when they detect sexual disharmony in their patients. Results of this study can facilitate development of restricted guidelines for sexual discussion with menopausal women.

Keyword

Menopause; Sexual behavior; Sexual dysfunction, physiological; Spouses

MeSH Terms

Aging
Family Characteristics
Female
Friends
General Practitioners
Health Personnel
Humans
Medicine, Traditional
Menopause
Methods
Midwifery
Orgasm
Pathology
Sex Workers
Sexual Behavior
Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological
Sexuality
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Spouses*
Statistics as Topic

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