How to define sexual health? A qualitative analysis of people's perceptions
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2022
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As políticas de atuação na saúde sexual dependem das definições partilhadas nos consensos
nacionais e internacionais e nas leis vigentes. Contudo, a utilização dos recursos existentes pelas
populações está diretamente ligada à perceção que as pessoas têm do que é a saúde sexual, podendo
existir uma clivagem entre os recursos existentes e as necessidades populacionais, inviabilizando
a promoção e intervenção ótima nesta área da saúde. Neste estudo qualitativo transversal
desenvolvido online, foi perguntado a 148 participantes com idades entre os 19 e os 75 anos “O
que é saúde sexual?”. As respostas foram analisadas através de uma análise temática de abordagem
reflexiva tendo sido identificada uma visão multidimensional do conceito, constituída por quatro
temas: ‘primado biológico’; ‘eu estou no comando!’; ‘não estou só'; e ‘justiça sexual’. O nosso
estudo salienta que a amostra reconhece a saúde sexual como uma parte importante da saúde global.
Há uma grande ênfase na vivência corporal da sexualidade [e.g., excitação, IST’s, gravidez],
contudo esta não é separada do contexto relacional em que esta experiência maioritariamente
acontece, nem dos seus determinantes sociais. Estes resultados salientam que para esta amostra não
representativa, a saúde sexual é crucial para o bem-estar psicológico, físico, relacional e reflete
políticas sociais. Por isto, constitui uma área de atuação por excelência para profissionais de
diferentes áreas da psicologia [e.g., Saúde, Clínica, Social, Educacional] junto de diferentes
segmentos populacionais.
Sexual health promotion policies depend on the concept’s consensual international definitions. However, the use of resources by the population is connected to what people conceive as sexual health, which means there could be a gap between available resources and populational needs, leading to ineffective ways to promote and to intervene in this health field. In this cross sectional qualitative study, 148 participants aged between 19 and 75 years old were asked “what is sexual health?”. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted, and a multidimensional conception of sexual health was identified, composed by four themes: ‘Let’s get physical, physical’; ‘I’m in charge!’; ‘I am not alone in this’; and ‘Sexual justice is a must!’. Our study underlines that this sample recognizes sexual health as an important part of global health. Large emphasis is given to bodily, physical experience of sexuality [e.g. arousal, STIs, pregnancy], although it is not independent from the relational context where it commonly takes place, or from its social determinants. Sexual health is crucial to psychological, physical and relational well-being and is a reflex of social policies, which makes it an important field of intervention for psychology professionals from different areas [e.g. health, clinical, social, educational] with different population segments.
Sexual health promotion policies depend on the concept’s consensual international definitions. However, the use of resources by the population is connected to what people conceive as sexual health, which means there could be a gap between available resources and populational needs, leading to ineffective ways to promote and to intervene in this health field. In this cross sectional qualitative study, 148 participants aged between 19 and 75 years old were asked “what is sexual health?”. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted, and a multidimensional conception of sexual health was identified, composed by four themes: ‘Let’s get physical, physical’; ‘I’m in charge!’; ‘I am not alone in this’; and ‘Sexual justice is a must!’. Our study underlines that this sample recognizes sexual health as an important part of global health. Large emphasis is given to bodily, physical experience of sexuality [e.g. arousal, STIs, pregnancy], although it is not independent from the relational context where it commonly takes place, or from its social determinants. Sexual health is crucial to psychological, physical and relational well-being and is a reflex of social policies, which makes it an important field of intervention for psychology professionals from different areas [e.g. health, clinical, social, educational] with different population segments.
Descrição
Orientação: Patrícia Pascoal
Palavras-chave
MESTRADO EM PSICOLOGIA CLÍNICA E DA SAÚDE, PSICOLOGIA, SEXO, SAÚDE, PSYCHOLOGY, SEX, HEALTH