Women's experiences of repetitively contracting sexually transmitted diseases

Our purpose in conducting this qualitative, descriptive research was to explore and describe women's experiences of repetitively contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Ten open‐ended, semistructured, in‐depth interviews with 8 women, along with stories and anecdotes from one author's clinical practice, provided data. Thematic analysis was used to generate themes important to the women. Themes included the power and significance of heterosexual relationships, female powerlessness, the sense that STDs are an inevitable part of a woman's life, stigma, and victimization. The women's explanatory models for the STDs were quite different from those of health care providers evidenced in the professional literature. The findings from this research support the following suggestions for practice: (a) Practitioners and clients should share their explanatory models to work toward safe sexual behavior, and (b) practitioners need to scrutinize their practices to make sure they are not minimizing the risks of STDs.