Social health and sexual self-care in women: exploring the role of social cohesion, acceptance, and participation

Sexual self-care represents a critical dimension of a health-oriented lifestyle and is essential for promoting women's sexual health. This study aimed to examine the association between social health and sexual self-care among women visiting comprehensive health service centers affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. In this descriptive-analytical study, 312 women were selected via multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using Keyes et al.'s (2004) Social Well-being Questionnaire and Yazdani et al.'s (2023) Sexual Self-Care Questionnaire, followed by correlation analyses in SPSS-27. No significant correlation was observed between the overall scores of social health and sexual self-care (P = 0.77). However, specific dimensions of social health exhibited significant associations with sexual self-care: Social Actualization correlated positively with cancer and unwanted pregnancy prevention (P < 0.05), Social Cohesion with prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (P < 0.05), Social Acceptance with STI prevention (P < 0.01), and Social Participation with cancer prevention (P < 0.01). The findings underscore the influence of distinct social health dimensions on women's sexual self-care, particularly in mitigating risks related to cancer, STIs, and unintended pregnancy. These insights offer a foundation for integrated public health strategies and advocate for policy initiatives that incorporate social and health dimensions into sexual health promotion programs.