"I'm in control: I'm not stumbling in the dark anymore": Midlife women's experiences of successfully negotiating safer sex with new partners. (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Mullan, Cathy; Debattista, Joseph; Parkinson, Lynne
• Is Part Of: Journal of women & aging. Volume 31:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 73
• Page End: 88
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Mid-life women -- safer sex -- sexually transmitted infections; Social work with older people -- United States -- Periodicals; Social work with women -- United States -- Periodicals; Older women -- United States -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1080/08952841.2018.1510243
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0895-2841

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The rates of STIs in women over 45 years have been steadily increasing in Australia and other Western countries. Traditionally sexual health and STI prevention and research has positioned young people as the priority population; to date, insufficient attention has been paid to the sexual health of women over 45 years. Using a strengths-based approach, the objective of this study was to explore the factors and mechanisms that enable Australian women aged 45 to 64 years to successfully negotiate safer sex practices in new relationships. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed for an in-depth exploratory study of a sample of eight women. Three broad themes emerged: being informed, being prepared, and being empowered. These findings provide a valuable insight into how we can initiate change and support safer sex practices for this target group.