The Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing on the Sexual Performance of Women With Human Papillomavirus: A...

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection that often affects the reproductive system. Human papillomavirus infection can cause various cancers and clinical symptoms in women, impacting their sexual activity and quality of life. Hence, this study aimed to assess the impact of motivational interviewing on the sexual function of women with HPV.

This randomized controlled study used a pretest-posttest research design with a control group and involved 62 HPV patients from health care centers affiliated with the Babol University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The study was registered on the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20230531058348N1) on June 11, 2023, after we received ethics code. The patients were divided into 2 groups: an experimental and a control group. The allocation to these groups was determined using the blocked randomized allocation technique based on pretest scores. The experimental group received the motivational intervention over 5 sessions, whereas the control group received routine intervention. All participants completed the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire before and immediately after the interventions. Data were entered into SPSS 24 and were analyzed. Descriptive statistics included means and standard deviations for quantitative data and frequency percentages for qualitative variables. χ2 Tests and independent t tests were used to examine relationships and compare initial variables. Analysis of covariance was used to compare questionnaire scores between the 2 groups. The significance level was set at 0.05.

The intervention (N = 31) and control (N = 31) groups had similar ages (33.58 ± 6.14 vs. 34.96 ± 7.04 years, P = 0.412). Sexual dysfunction occurred in 74.2% of HPV-positive women. Covariance analysis showed that motivational interviewing had a significant positive effect on overall sexual function in women with HPV ( η2 = 0.717, P < 0.001). Motivational interviewing with a large effect size also led to improved sexual desire ( η2 = 0.566), increased arousal ( η2 = 0.728), increased wetness ( η2 = 0.531), increased orgasm ( η2 = 0.525), increased sexual satisfaction ( η2 = 0.563), and reduced sexual pain ( η2 = 0.680; P = 0.001).

The results of the study suggested that offering counseling to women with HPV could improve their sexual functioning, leading to a better overall sexual experience and mental and emotional well-being, and ultimately strengthening their quality of life and marital connections. Moreover, this could influence how health care providers support and aid people with HPV.