title: The impact of a sexual enhancement program on the sexual function of postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of sex education on sexual function in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized clinical trial was carried on 104 postmenopausal women, aged 40-60 years, residing in the cities of Chalus and Nowshahr, Iran. Their sexual function was assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups: (1) intervention, in which the subjects received a sexual enhancement program with weekly follow-ups; and (2) controls, who received general educational material on postmenopause. Both groups were re-assessed after 12 weeks using the FSFI questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, or their total scores of FSFI, in the initial stage of the study. After implementation of the sexual enhancement program, however, the total scores of sexual function, as well as the scores in the arousal and pain domains, were significantly higher in the intervention group, compared to the control group (24.41 vs. 22.70, 3.35 vs. 2.73, and 4.50 vs. 3.98, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sexual function of postmenopausal women can be improved by a sexual enhancement program.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery , Islamic Azad University Chalus Branch , Chalus , Iran ;
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nazarpour
authors.affiliation: b Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery , Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science , Tehran , Iran ;
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simbar
authors.affiliation: c Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran ;
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramezani Tehrani
authors.affiliation: d Department of Biostatistics, School of Paramedicine , Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alavi Majd
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D054327:Lubricants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017698:Postmenopause; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D054327:Lubricants
keywords: Sexual function; postmenopause; sexual enhancement program