Sexual Health Status among Mentally Ill Women

Introduction and Sexual health of mentally ill women is of great importance due to personal and common health issues (both physically and mentally) mentally ill women faced to. The main purpose of the present study was to describe sexual health status among mentally ill women admitted to Razi psychiatric hospital, Tehran, during the years 2001-2003. This was a descriptive study with a sample of 580 adult mentally ill women with positive history of admission in psychiatric hospital. The researchers reviewed hospital charts of the participants and completed data sheets. 28.7% of participants had multiple sexual partner, 3.4% had exchanged sex for money, goods or a place for living. Also, 6.7% had a history of rape and 5.3% of them had a positive history of homosexuality. 33% of the participants had at least one sexual risk factor for transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV. Considering high percentage of sexual risk factors associated with transmission of infections such as HIV among mentally ill women, health managers should pay particular attention for improvement of mentally ill women's sexual health care. The study of barriers to sexual health care in this population is suggested.