The Effect of Sexual Education-Counseling According to PLISSIT in Solving Sexual Problems in Women Using Contraceptive Methods: One Year Follow-up Results

Sexuality is a universal part of human life and is a process in which two people share their emotions, body, soul and pleasures. Although it is a natural part of life, sexuality can be affected by many factors. One of these factors is the contraceptive methods used by couples. While contraceptive methods prevent unplanned/unwanted pregnancies and help couples to have a satisfying sexual life without the fear of becoming pregnant, they can also negatively affect the sexuality of couples and even cause sexual dysfunctions.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sexual Dysfunction; Contraception; Female Sexual Function; PLISSIT; Training-consulting
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: sexual education and counseling; Other: control group

Detailed Description

Although there are many studies in the literature examining the changes of contraceptive methods on sexual behaviors, the relationship between method use and female sexual function remains unclear. There are studies showing that contraceptive method use has negative effects on sexual function (decreased frequency of sexual intercourse, difficulty in arousal, orgasm or lubrication), as well as studies suggesting that it may improve sexual behaviors. Some studies report that the contraceptive method used has no effect on sexual function.In contraceptive counseling, it is important to evaluate the sexual functions of the applicant and provide sexual counseling when necessary. It is recommended that health professionals use a model to effectively evaluate sexual functions and provide the most appropriate care in the presence of CD. In this direction, the education-counseling provided with the PLISSIT model, which is frequently used in this direction, can be an approach that can bridge the gap between the health professional and the individual in the elimination of CD.There are studies showing that sexual education-counseling using this model is effective. However, the number of studies in the literature in which the PLISSIT model was used to solve the problems of women experiencing CD during contraceptive method use is very limited. In addition, there is no study evaluating the effectiveness of the training-counseling provided with this model for 1 year in the literature. With the aim of contributing to the literature in line with this need, this study aimed to examine the effect of sexual education-counseling given in line with the PLISSIT model on the solution of sexual problems in women using contraceptive methods in a one-year period.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 352
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • İstanbul, Turkey
    • Marmara University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• ≤45 years of age and not in the peri/postmenopausal period (not menopausal which is),
• Has a sexual partner and has an active sexual life,
• One of the effective contraceptive methods (IUD, COC, Condom; Injection method, implanaon) for ≥3 months,
• Turkish language is not a problem,
• Educated enough to understand what they read and answer questions,
• Chronic diseases that may affect sexual health (cancer, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart disease, atherosclerosis, chronic pulmonary and hepatic diseases, chronic renal failure, etc.) or medication (antihypertensive, diuretic, lipid-lowering agent, H2 receptor antagonist, antihistamine, anticholinergic, chemotherapeutic agent, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, antipsychotic, narcotic, sedative) with no use and
• Women who volunteered to participate in the study were included in the study sample.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Applying for the first time/to use a new method,
• ≥46 years of age or menopausal,
• New to their current method (<3 months),
• Those who do not have an active sex life or who have very infrequent sex due to their partner's job, etc. in a relationship,
• Chronic illness or medication that may affect sexuality,
• Who doesn't speak Turkish,
• Not educated enough to understand what they read and answer questions,
• Women who did not want to participate in the study were not included in the sample.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Control Group; Routine clinical care	Other: control group; routine clinical care
Experimental: Experimental : Participant Group; The women included in the Working Group were contacted by phone and invited to the hospital. Sexual education and counseling were provided in accordance with the PLISSIT model. A total of 5 interviews were conducted with the women, the first face-to-face interview and the subsequent ones by telephone. FSFI assessments in the study FSFI assessments were performed 5 times (initial, 1st, 3rd, 6th months and 1 year later). According to the PLISSIT model, their sexuality and any problems since the previous assessment were discussed and a short counseling was given if necessary.	Behavioral: sexual education and counseling; The women included in the Working Group were contacted by phone and invited to the hospital. Sexual education and counseling were provided in accordance with the PLISSIT model. A total of 5 interviews were conducted with the women, the first face-to-face interview and the subsequent ones by telephone. FSFI assessments in the study FSFI assessments were performed 5 times (initial, 1st, 3rd, 6th months and 1 year later). According to the PLISSIT model, their sexuality and any problems since the previous assessment were discussed and a short counseling was given if necessary.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)	The FSFI total score ranges from 2 to 36 and the FSFI total score indicates the general status of sexual function.35 The FSFI cut-off value is 26.55. A score of ≤26.55 defines sexual dysfunction and >26.55 defines normal sexual function.	initial, 1st, 1st, 3rd, 6th months and 1 year later

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Izmir Katip Celebi University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 2, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): August 30, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 8, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 11, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 11, 2025
• Last Verified: January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: contraception; sexual dysfunction; female sexual function; PLISSIT; training-consulting
• Other Study ID Numbers: MARMARAU-SBE-OBD-02

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No