title: How does a group of Iranian youth conceptualize their risky sexual experiences?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are restrictions as well as lawful and religious prohibition for sexual relationships in Iranian society.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study explores the varied experiential reality of Iranian youth and their risky sexual experiences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data collection is based on semi-structured interviews with 30 single young men and women. Observation of interactions of youth in different settings has been another source of information. Interviews were microscopically content analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The accounts of risky sexual experiences included gendered behavioral, cultural, and cognitive factors. In the re-contextualizing process, these accounts were categorized by two main themes: "gendered sexual script" and "cultural scenarios of interpersonal interactions". The notion of "male power" was evident in the responses provided by the participants. Women seldom asked for condom use due to limited knowledge about STIs-HIV/AIDS and unpleasant experiences with condoms. Men had limited knowledge about various sexual modes of HIV and STIs transmission and did not use condoms consistently because they had not seen themselves at risk of STIs or HIV as well as their belief about the decrease of sexual pleasure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rising youth awareness, creating a positive attitude, and appropriate knowledge about safe sex practices are seminal. It is also vital to ensure access to gender specific sexual and reproductive health services for youths, empower women, and strengthen their sexual assertiveness as well as the elimination of all forms of gender-based inequalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noroozi
authors.affiliation: Iranian National Centre of Addiction Studies, Institution of Risk Behaviors Reduction, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Effat-Al-Sadat
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Merghati Khoei
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taleghani
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Education and Psychology, Isfahan University, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahgol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tavakoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Islamic Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gholami
keywords: Behavior; Risk Taking; Sexual Behavior; Youth
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