How Do Iranian People with Spinal Cord Injury Understand Marriage?

Abstract

Background:Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-altering experience. There is little information about the perspectives of people with SCI toward marriage. Purpose: To explore the understandings of Iranian adults with SCI about marriage. Methods: In this qualitative inquiry, using a semi-structured interview guide, we collected data from 53 single adults with SCI (41 men and 12 women) who were referred to the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran. Barun and Clarke's thematic analysis approach was applied for data analysis. Results: "Marriage" was thematized in outer and inner scenarios. The outer scenario was explored in terms of physical disability identified as a seminal determinant in successful marriage. "Attractiveness," "able body for breadwinning," "sexually active," and "reproduction" were dominant concepts extracted from the participants' narratives. The participants' inner scenarios revealed that marriage would be welcomed if a potential partner accepted them as a "whole person" regardless of their SCI condition. Conclusion: The findings suggest that adults with SCI do not ignore or reject marriage, however it was not their life priority due to major concerns that they had internalized. Considering the quality of care, people with SCI must be reassured about their potential to get married. SCI-based sexuality education and premarital counseling support the patients in their postmarital lives. Our findings will provide decision makers and health providers with significant insight for utilizing culturally appropriate services for people with SCI.

Experience of Primary Care Nurses of Sexuality Care for Persons with Disabilities: A Qualitative Study

“…The participants in this study worked to promote PD self-esteem, their knowledge, improving personal and social skills, with the aim that the patient learns to explore their sexuality. We agree with other studies that show that persons with disabilities are less likely to participate in social activities, and therefore it is important for a marital relationship to have this social support [ 48 ]. This lack of support can also be seen in health care as sociocultural issues resulting in the fact that persons with disabilities do not receive counselling about sexuality as some professionals consider it a private matter [ 10 ].…”

Measuring Sexual Performance: Development and Psychometric Properties of the Sexual Performance Questionnaire in Iranian People with Spinal Cord Injury

“…In contrast to the PSDS, which assesses only distress surrounding changes in sexual life due to SCI, the SPQ-SCI evaluates normative sexual performance in the context of a sexual couple. In the Iranian culture, sexuality is only understood in the marital context [47]. People living with SCI can go beyond genital sex and promote their sexual motivation, capacities, and performance.…”

“…Sexual health services for PwSCI are complex and impacted by both health providers' personal attitudes and the sexual health needs of this population [49]. Health providers face clear challenges in dealing with sexuality-related topics at the time of care delivery for SCIs, mainly because of the sensitive nature of sexuality-related discussions in the clinical setting [47]. The possible conceptualization of PwSCI as 'asexual' is a misconception that jeopardizes sexual health care delivery to them [49], and that can be related to the health providers' own sexuality or their attitudes toward sexuality in general [49].…”

Dyadic adjustment and the relationship between sexual self-consciousness and sexual dysfunction in individuals with spinal cord injuries: A descriptive study

“…6 There are studies in the literature on the sexual life of individuals with SCI. 5,6,9,11,15,16 However, according to the authors' knowledge, there is no study evaluating the effect of sexual self-awareness and the adjustment of couples in their relationships on sexual life in individuals with SCI. In addition, evaluating and discussing the results of the study according to the objectification theory is also important in terms of the originality of the study.…”