Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2023 Feb 10;18(2):e0264706. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264706. eCollection 2023.
INTRODUCTION: Sexual and reproductive health problems are one of the top five risk factors for disability in the developing world. The rates of sexual health problems in most African countries are overwhelming, which is why HIV and other STIs are still such a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Talking about sex in most African countries is a taboo, leading to common myths and misconceptions that ultimately impact community sexual health. METHODS: In this study, we conducted 11 key stakeholder individual interviews with community, religious, political, and health leaders (sexual health stakeholders) in Tanzania. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze all the materials. RESULTS: Two main categories merged from the analysis. The first category, "Ambiguities about sexual health" focused on societal and political misconceptions and identified ten myths or misconceptions common in Tanzania. Stakeholders highlighted the confusion that happens when different information about sexual health is presented from two different sources (e.g., community leaders/peers and political leaders), which leaves the community and community leaders unsure which one is reliable. The second category, "Practical dilemmas in serving clients", addressed a range of professional and religious dilemmas in addressing sexual health concerns. This included the inability of religious leaders and health care providers to provide appropriate sexual health care because of internal or external influences. CONCLUSION: Myths and misconceptions surrounding sexual health can prevent communities from adequately addressing sexual health concerns, and make it more difficult for healthcare providers to comfortably provide sexual health care to patients and communities. Stakeholders affirmed a need to develop a sexual health curriculum for medical, nursing and midwifery students because of the lack of education in this area. Such a curriculum needs to address nine common myths which were identified through the interviews.
简介:性健康和生殖健康问题是发展中国家导致残疾的五大风险因素之一。大多数非洲国家的性健康问题发生率居高不下,这就是为什么艾滋病毒和其他性传播感染在撒哈拉以南非洲仍然是一个挑战。在大多数非洲国家,谈论性是一种禁忌,导致常见的误解和错误观念,最终影响社区的性健康。
方法:在这项研究中,我们在坦桑尼亚对社区、宗教、政治和卫生领导人(性健康利益攸关方)进行了 11 次关键利益攸关方个人访谈。采用定性内容分析法对所有材料进行分析。
结果:从分析中合并出两个主要类别。第一类是“性健康的模糊性”,侧重于社会和政治上的误解,并确定了坦桑尼亚常见的十个神话或误解。利益攸关方强调了当来自两个不同来源(例如社区领袖/同伴和政治领袖)的不同信息呈现关于性健康时,会产生混淆,这使得社区和社区领袖不确定哪一个是可靠的。第二类是“为客户服务的实际困境”,涉及解决性健康问题时面临的一系列专业和宗教困境。这包括宗教领袖和医疗保健提供者由于内部或外部的影响,无法提供适当的性健康护理。
结论:围绕性健康的神话和误解可能会阻止社区充分解决性健康问题,并使医疗保健提供者更难以舒适地为患者和社区提供性健康护理。利益攸关方肯定需要为医学、护理和助产学生制定性健康课程,因为这方面的教育不足。这样的课程需要解决通过访谈确定的九个常见的误解。
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