Challenges of Researchers in Performing Sexual Health Research in Iran: A Qualitative Study

Assessment of ethical issues in sexual health research around the world shows that published studies are scattered and limited and cannot be used as reliable sources for other studies. This qualitative study aimed to explore the challenging experiences of sexual health researchers in Iran. This study was conducted using a conventional qualitative content analysis method. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews. The interviews were written and coded through conventional content analysis to form the initial categories. Based on the data analysis, three main categories, seven subcategories, and 14 second subcategories were extracted. The main categories included: 1- challenges related to biomedical research ethics committees, 2- challenges of sexual health researchers, and 3- challenges related to sexual health topics. This study was carried out to provide a better understanding of the challenges of sexual health researchers in their studies. The importance of detecting these challenges empowered researchers to cope with the challenges during their study.