Understanding Sexual Health

• Basic concepts of sexual health are presented.

Assessment and Evaluation

• Standard assessment includes a midterm exam (30%) and a final exam (50%)
• Exams will be multiple choice, true/false or open ended questions with an average length of 1 hour.
• Alternative assessment includes two quiz exams (5%) and one group homework assignments + presentation (15%)
• Students must participate in two quizzes during the semester, before the midterm and final exams.
• Quiz evaluation date is determined by the instructor.
• Students are required to participate in the preparation and presentation of group homework assignments.
• Class attendance is mandatory
• Students should read lecture notes and contribute to the course lessons.

Course topics

• Basic concepts related to sexuality.
• Sexual/reproductive rights and legal regulations.
• Sex and gender and their impact on health.
• Sexual identity development according to life stages.
• Physiology of the sexual act and the sexual response.
• Sexual dysfunctions in women.
• Sexual dysfunctions in men.
• Assessment of sexual health.
• The approach to sexual problems in the nursing process.
• Sexual violence, sexual abuse.
• Group work and presentations

Presentation Plan

• Definition of sexual health is covered
• Definition of reproductive health will be covered
• The importance of sexual and reproductive health
• Different perspectives on sexuality
• Sexual rights

Definition of Reproductive Health

• Defined as the absence of disease and disability in areas related to the reproductive system
• Includes functions and functioning as well as mental and social well-being.
• Reproductive health also encompasses a satisfying and safe sex life
• Includes the ability to reproduce, and the right to make decisions about reproduction.

Sexual Health

• Sexuality is a fundamental dimension of human life
• Includes biological aspects, and physical aspects like sex
• Includes the psychological aspects of sexuality
• Gender and gender identity
• Sexual orientation, eroticism, and reproduction
• Sexuality begins before birth and continues throughout life.
• Sexuality is influenced by ethical, cultural, and moral factors.
• Sexuality is the combined physical and mental features of a human
• Values on sexuality are shaped by our attitudes, behaviors, physical appearance, Deiefs, emotions.
• Personality, likes and dislikes, and socialization areas
• Influenced by social norms, culture, and religion
• In addition to procreation, it involves giving and receiving sexual pleasure.

SH from the WHO

• Sexual health consists of the combination of physical, emotional, intellectual, and social aspects of sexuality
• Enriches personality, communication and love
• Everyone has the right to access sexual information and to experience sexual intercourse for pleasure or for the purpose of reproduction
• Requires emotional, intellectual and social integrity
• Positively enriches and increases personality development, communication and sharing of love

Sexuality

• Includes procreation, sexual satisfaction, and is influenced by ethical, cultural, and moral factors.
• Maintaining positive sexuality and sexual health covers:
  • Diseases and conditions of the genitals
  • Physiological, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the individual

Sexual Health

• The disease and disability affect reproductive and sexual functions Includes removing fear, shame, guilt, and false beliefs which hinder sexual reactions and male-female relationships
• Focuses on the capacity to be satisfied with reproductive and sexual behaviors that adhere to social/personal morality and rights.
• Means care and counseling but also the strengthening of relationships.

Emergence of Sexual/Reproductive Health (SH/RH) concept

• Issues related to reproduction for women were first addressed by focusing on fertility issues between the ages of 15-49
• Followed by maternal and child health and family planning
• Later, "Sexual Health/Reproductive Health" (SH/RH) concept emerged, which emphasizes individual needs
• Combines concepts such as Reproduction, Women's Health, and Family Planning.
• At the international Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994 reproductive health was first raised.
• In many parts of the world, people cannot protect their reproductive health or exercise their reproductive rights.
• Necessary measures were adopted to increase access to reproductive health services,
• Sexual health was then adopted as a field by the WHO.
• Includes the needs and rights of the individual
• Health needs of women are now addressed within the framework of gender equality.

World Conference, Beijing

• 4th World Conference on Women held focused on improving health
• Beijing in 1995, the concept of reproductive health
• "Gender equality and development" was adopted to empower and advance women
• Women's educational, economic and social empowerment,

Areas the WHO cover

• Ensuring legal and social equality and equity between the sexes
• Elimination of discrimination against the girl child
• Ensuring reproductive health and protective rights
• Providing safe maternity services
• Preventing unhealthy miscarriages.
• Informing adolescents about sexual and reproductive health
• Preventing the spread of STDs and HIV
• Increasing access to reproductive health services for young and rural populations
• Mobilizing resources for SH/RH development

Fundamentals of the SH/RH

• Normal functioning of reproductive organs.
• A healthy and happy sex life.
• Being able to experience sexuality and fertility freely.
• Deciding whether or not to have children, when, and how many.
• Having healthy children through planned pregnancies.
• Protection from sexually transmitted infections.

SH/RH Service areas

• Information-education communication for responsible parenting.
• Non-formal family planning services.
• Information-education-communication and counseling in family planning
• Effective maternal health services and safe motherhood with prenatal care, healthy birth, postpartum care, breastfeeding
• Control of genital tract infections (GYE)
• Prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and fight against AIDS
• Prevention and treatment of infertility.
• Put an end to unsafe abortions
• Prevent/ treat malignancies of reproductive organs.
• Good nutrition
• Infant and child health.
• Adolescent health and sexuality.
• Healthy lifestyle.
• Regulation of environmental factors.
• Regulation of social, cultural, and behavioral factors.

Different Perspectives on Sexuality

• Sexuality is a complex whole with biological, psychological, social, cultural, traditional, moral, ligious, anthropological, political and economic dimensions.
• The approach to sexual health should therefore include different perspectives like:
  • Biological
  • Psychological
  • Sociocultural

Biological Perspective

• Biological aspects of sexuality.
• Sexuality is a basic instinct.
• Sexual functions are a process carried out by the interaction of more than 30 hormones and chemicals
• In which the whole body participates, especially the central nervous system, the five senses and the genital organs.
• Diseases, drugs and substances used, every factor that affects our body, and every periodic situation such as pregnancy, menopause and adolescence can also affect our sexuality.
• A healthy functioning body is an essential rule for a healthy and happy sex life.

Psychological Perspective

• A healthy functioning body provides the infrastructure to live sexuality.
• Human psychology that influences sexuality and how it is experienced, with whom it will be experienced, and how.
• The central and peripheral nervous system mainly mediates it.
• The basic attitudes, personality traits, emotions, cognitive functions, past experiences, traumas, learned behavior models, etc. determines our approach to sexuality and our choices.

Sociocultural Perspective

• The family, close environment, subculture, traditions, religious beliefs and moral attitudes influence the determinant of our sexual attitudes and behaviors.
• This can play a role in any occurrence dysfunction.
• Sometimes people think that Conditions such as Infections can be vagismus.
• All perspectives are crucial to an individual's health.
• Three basic elements should be used to solve the problem if it is or a sexual dysfunction.

Modern sexual health

• Modern approaches now define humans as biopsychosocial entities

Standardization of defintion

• The WHO: defines sexual health as "the state of complete physical, psychosocial and sociocultural well-being and continuity of sexual aspect,"

World Association for Sexual Health's programs.

Sexual rights are

• Based on freedom, dignity and equality

To ensure the

• Development of sexual health needs those sexual rights to be recognized, encouraged, respected and defended
• Sexual health can exist if these rights are in place.

Universal sexual rights

• Include the right to sexual freedom.
• The right to sexual autonomy and security of one's body.
• The right to sexual privacy.
• The right to sexual equality.
• The right to sexual pleasure.
• The right to emotional sexual expression.
• The right to freely engage in sexual relationships.
• Right to free and discreet reproductive choices. includes not being married or being homosexual
• The right to sexual information based on scientific research.
• The right to comprehensive sexuality education, starting from birth.
• Right to sexual health care.

Factors Interfering The Rights

• All forms of sexual coercion, and harassment limit freedom
• The right to sexual autonomy includes making decisions about one's own sexual life within the framework of personal and social ethics:
  • Includes the right to control and enjoy our bodies, free from torture, injury and violence of any kind.

Some challenges to address

• 7. Includes a free choice of choosing to marry or not
• If you are not married or or homosexual reproductive choices are still possible in the eyes of sexual rights.
• Sexual Health education requires a lifelong

Sexual/Reproductive Health Problems include

• Gender discrimination
• Lack of education in youth and adulthood

Transmission

• The transmission of stds such as aids
• Hepatitis and syphilis as a result of unprotected sex and lack of education
• Becoming a parent yoing or being too old
• Lack of ability to get treatment.
• SH/RH Services include premarital counseling and safe motherhood program

Explore the essential components of sexual health, including physical, emotional, and social well-being. Learn about the factors shaping sexual attitudes and behaviors, and the bodily systems governing sexual functions. Understand the definition of sexual health, shaped by personal or social factors.