The effect of empowerment-based counseling on increasing the main indices of safe sex in women with substance use disorder

ABSTRACT

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the effect of empowerment-based counseling intervention on increasing the main indices of safer sex in women with substance use disorder.

Methods

The present study was a quasi-experimental research conducted on 68 at-risk women in the Compulsory Rehabilitation Center in Qom, Iran. They were assigned to two groups of intervention (n = 34) and control (n = 34) using the convenient sampling method. The data were collected using the questionnaires of demographic characteristics and the main indices of safer sex use before the intervention, 4 and 12 weeks after intervention. The intervention group received the counseling program for 6 sessions. The control group received routine services including an obstetric visit, and sex education if needed. Repeated measurement, Freidman test, t-test, and Chi-square test were used to analyze the data.

Results

Negotiation score for safe sex in intervention and control groups were 20.77 ± 3.89 and 17.46 ± 5.73, respectively. Self-efficacy of safe sex score were 20.87 ± 4.45 and 13.40 ± 4.56 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. 21 subjects (67.7%) in the intervention versus 10 (32.3%) in the control group used condoms in their last intercourse, 4 weeks after discharge (p = 0.014).

Conclusions

Empowerment–based counseling increased the main indices of safer sex in addicted women.

KEYWORDS:

• Women
• condom
• sexual negotiation
• addiction
• reproductive health

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the esteemed staff of the Compulsory Rehabilitation Center of XXX for their sincere cooperation. We also thank the patients who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contributions

NF and KV designed the study. NF and AAY wrote the first draft of the manuscript. KV contributed to the subsequent drafts, reviewed, and agreed with the content of the final manuscript. AAY analyzed the data. It is necessary to mention that all authors read and approved the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by xxx University of Medical Sciences under grant no: 5914. xxx University of Medical Sciences had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.