Effect of Training Package on Mental Image of External Genitalia and Sexual Function among Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction and objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of training package on the mental image of the shape of reproductive system and the sexual function and to determine the relationship between social-personal specifications and the mental image of the shape of reproductive system and sexual function in the health centers of Qazvin City, Iran. Procedure: The present randomized clinical trial was conducted on 124 women aged 18-40 in five health centers of Qazvin City during 2015-2016. Subjects were placed into two groups of intervention and control using randomized blocking method. Three training sessions were held for an hour in the intervention group. Female sexual function index (FSFI) questionnaire was analyzed before and four weeks after the intervention in both groups. The ANCOVA test was employed by controlling the base value for data analysis. One way variance analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient and independent t test were used to determine the relationship between social-demographic characteristics and the mental image of the shape of external genitalia. Findings: there was no significant statistical difference between the groups under study in terms of social-demographic characteristics (p<0.05). Four weeks after training intervention, there was no significant difference between the mean score of mental image of external genitalia in the training intervention group and the control group (3.4-4.4 confidence interval 95%; 0.5: mean difference; p=0.808). Moreover, four weeks after training intervention, there was no significant statistical difference between the mean score of sexual function in the training intervention group and that of the control group (-0.6-2.3 confidence interval 95%; 0.8 mean difference ;p=0.257). The results of one way variance analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that among the social-personal characteristics, only male education had a significant statistical relationship with the mental image of women of the shape of their sexual organ (p=0.002) and before the training intervention, there was a significant statistical relationship between sexual function and the variable of men age and duration of marriage (P>0.05). Conclusion: this study indicated that training has made no obvious change, so other training method could be used to improve the mental image of external genitalia in women.