Abstract

BACKGROUND Human papillomavirus infection among sexually active women is a challenging clinical matter. Women's viewpoints toward healthy or risky sexual behaviours are regarded as central influences on male counterparts infected with sexually transmitted infection. In this study we aimed to explore the means by which women with HPV conceptualize their male counterpart's risky sexual behaviours. METHODS The qualitative research was carried out from September 2017 to December 2018 in the Firozgar hospital in Tehran, using content analysis. Participants were 30 HPVpositive women. Data was collected by three focus group discussions using a semistructured interviews guide. Moreover, we collected demographic and self-rated physical health data. Two co-authors served as coders. RESULTS Six themes including sexual life and gender dynamics, Resentment and risk, sexuality education and risk awareness, male oriented sexuality, substance abuse and sexual risk, marital construction and risk frame emerged from data. Data revealed that women had conceptualized their sexual self-concept in a maleoriented frame and put themselves at risk in order to confront this aggrieved partnership. CONCLUSIONS Our findings revealed views of affected women with papillomavirus infections. Having risky sexual behaviours from their spouse, multi partnerships, hiding the disease, lack of condom use, violence, lack of emotional support, financial support and inadequate sexual life role could affect the marital system in Iranian married women and leads them to adopt risky behaviour and subsequently to contract HPV.