Narratives of men and women from the southeastern region of Brazil on some aspects of sexual and reproductive health, sexual life and contraception: a qualitative study.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the narratives of men and women from Brazil regarding sexual experiences, perspectives on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and knowledge and experience with the use of contraceptives.

Material and methods: We conducted the study at the Centre for Research in Reproductive Health of Campinas (CEMICAMP) and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Campinas Medical School, Campinas, Brazil. We report on the Brazilian data from a study conducted in 19 countries, coordinated by the World Health Organisation using cognitive interviewing. This qualitative procedure allowed us to collect data on the narratives of participants on the comprehension of a survey instrument during the pre-testing phase and aids researchers in understanding how participants comprehend the questions, the topics discussed in the questionnaire and how they formulate their answers. We report on part of the data collected, among other reproductive health issues, sexual life and experiences and perspectives on sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV prevention and contraceptive use.

Results: We recruited 30 persons, and the interviews were conducted face-to-face. The main themes identified for analysis were organised into three categories: talking about sexual experiences, perspectives on STIs and HIV and contraceptive use for both pregnancy prevention and protection against STIs/HIV.

Conclusion: Discussion about SRH is vital, and issues such as those presented here must be incorporated into all encounters between patients and healthcare professionals. Moreover, it is imperative that such discussions be incorporated into other locales, such as schools and places of leisure, among others.