title: Improvement of older women's sexuality through emancipatory education.
abstract: The purpose of this action research (AR) was to explore the ways in which sexuality is experienced daily and to improve the expression of older women's sexuality. The pedagogy of autonomy as proposed by the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire theoretically supported this AR, with the participation of six older adult women living in a rural setting in southwest Brazil. The older women's experiences regarding sexuality, their concerns, and their educational demands could be summarized through five phrases: the improvement of self-esteem as a way to promote sexuality; sexuality impaired by loneliness and lack of affection; men's sexual satisfaction seen as a woman's obligation; women's sexuality controlled by the society; and relinquishment of the companion to attend to the expectations of family members. Dialogical and participative educational approaches and continuous observation-participation strategies were performed to support the women's care and educational requirements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Denardi Antoniassi
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Baldissera
authors.forename: Sonia Maria Villela
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: Luiza Akiko Komura
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hoga
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012424:Rural Population; D012649:Self Concept; D012747:Sexual Partners; D019529:Sexuality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013637:Tape Recording; D016387:Women's Health / Q000639:trends