Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Predictors of the Sexual Well-being of Individuals Diagnosed with Herpes and Human Papillomavirus

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Research suggests that having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as genital herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV) can negatively affect sexual well-being. However, there is little research examining factors associated with poorer sexual well-being among individuals with a STI. This study investigated the extent to which stigma experiences, individual characteristics, and STI characteristics were associated with multiple aspects of sexual well-being among individuals diagnosed with herpes and/or HPV. Participants were an average of 36 years old (SD = 11.58) and included 188 individuals with herpes and/or HPV who completed measures of sexual activity, sexual problems, and sexual cognitive-affective factors. The results showed that experiences of stigmatization were the most important predictors of sexual well-being. Participants who perceived were stigmatized by others as well as those who internalized negative social attitudes to a greater extent reported poorer sexual well-being across all dimensions, over and above individual and STI characteristics. The implications of these findings for sexual health professionals are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alonso, J., Buron, A., Rojas-Farreras, S., de Graaf, R., Haro, J., de Girolamo, G., … Vilagut, G. (2009). Perceived stigma among individuals with common mental disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders, 118, 180–186.

  • Andersen, B. L., & Cyranowski, J. M. (1994). Women’s sexual self-schema. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 1079–1100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, B. L., Cyranowski, J. M., & Espindle, D. (1999). Men’s sexual self-schema. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 645–661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnack-Tavlaris, J. L., Reddy, D. M., & Ports, K. (2011). Psychological adjustment among women living with genital herpes. Journal of Health Psychology, 16, 12–21.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Beals, K. P., Peplau, L., & Gable, S. L. (2009). Stigma management and well-being: The role of perceived social support, emotional processing, and suppression. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35, 867–879.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buseh, A. G., Kelber, S. T., Stevens, P. E., & Gi Park, C. (2008). Relationship of symptoms, perceived health, and stigma with quality of life among urban HIV-infected African American men. Public Health Nursing, 25, 409–419.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Byers, E. S. (1996). How well does the traditional sexual script explain sexual coercion? Review of a program of research. Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 8, 7–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calogero, R. M., & Thompson, J. K. (2009a). Potential implications of the objectification of women’s bodies for women’s sexual satisfaction. Body Image, 6, 145–148.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Calogero, R. M., & Thompson, J. K. (2009b). Sexual self-esteem in American and British college women: Relations with self-objectification and eating problems. Sex Roles, 60, 160–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). CDC fact sheet: Genital herpes. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htm. Accessed 15 July 2012.

  • Cohen, J. N., & Byers, E. S. (2014). Beyond lesbian bed death: Enhancing our understanding of the sexuality of sexual-minority women in relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 51, 893–903.

  • Conaglen, H. M., Hughes, R., Conaglen, J. V., & Morgan, J. (2001). A prospective study of the psychological impact on patients of first diagnosis of human papillomavirus. International Journal of STD and AIDS, 12(10), 651–658.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corrigan, P. W., Larson, J. E., & Rüsch, N. (2009). Self-stigma and the “why try” effect: Impact on life goals and evidence-based practices. World Psychiatry, 8, 75–81.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Corrigan, P. W., Rafacz, J., & Rüsch, N. (2011). Examining a progressive model of self-stigma and its impact on people with serious mental illness. Psychiatry Research, 189, 339–343.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Corrigan, P. W., & Watson, A. C. (2002). The paradox of self-stigma and mental illness. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 9, 35–53. doi:10.1093/clipsy/9.1.35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford, M., & Popp, D. (2003). Sexual double standards: A review and methodological critique of two decades of research. Journal of Sex Research, 40, 13–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, S. D., Tschann, J., Gurvey, J. E., Fortenberry, J. D., & Ellen, J. M. (2002). Attitudes about sexual disclosure and perceptions of stigma and shame. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 78, 334–338.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dancey, C. P., Hutton-Young, S. A., Moye, S. S., & Devins, G. M. (2002). Perceived stigma, illness intrusiveness and quality of life in men and women with irritable bowel syndrome. Psychology, Health, & Medicine, 7, 381–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darroch, J., Myers, L., & Cassell, J. (2003). Sex differences in the experience of testing positive for genital chlamydia infection: A qualitative study with implications for public health and for a national screening programme. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 79, 372–376.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Donovan, B. (2004). Sexually transmissible infections other than HIV. Lancet, 363, 545–556.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • East, L., Jackson, D., O’Brien, L., & Peters, K. (2012). Stigma and stereotypes: Women and sexually transmitted infections. Collegian, 19, 15–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Emlet, C. A. (2007). Experiences of stigma in older adults living with HIV/AIDS: A mixed methods analysis. AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 21, 740–752.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fan, W., & Yan, Z. (2010). Factors affecting response rates of the web survey: A systematic review. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 132–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fife, B. L., & Wright, E. R. (2000). The dimensionality of stigma: A comparison of its impact on the self of persons with HIV/AIDS and cancer. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 41, 50–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fortenberry, J. D. (2004). The effects of stigma on genital herpes care-seeking behaviors. Herpes, 11, 8–10.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fortenberry, J. D., McFarlane, M., Bleakely, A., Bull, S., Fishbein, M., Grimley, D. M., et al. (2002). Relationship of stigma and shame to gonorrhea and HIV screening. American Journal of Public Health, 92, 378–381.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Foster, L. R., & Byers, E. S. (2013a). Comparison of the sexual well-being of individuals with and without a herpes and/or human papillomavirus infection diagnosis. International Journal of Sexual Health, 25, 148–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster, L. R., & Byers, E. S. (2013b). Stigmatization of individuals with sexually transmitted infections: Effects of illness and observer characteristics. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 43, E141–E152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, L. K., Schultz, S. L., & Ebel, C. (2002). Education and counselling for genital herpes: Perspectives from patients. Herpes, 9, 78–82.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graziottin, A., & Serafini, A. (2009). HPV infections in women: Psychosexual impact of genital warts and intraepithelial lesions. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 6, 633–645.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hellsten, C., Lindqvist, P. G., & Sjöström, K. (2008). A longitudinal study of sexual functioning in women referred for colposcopy: A 2-year follow-up. General Gynaecology, 115, 205–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, D. B. (2007). Differences and similarities in men’s and women’s sexual self-schemas. Journal of Sex Research, 44, 135–144.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoon, E. G., & Chambless, D. L. (2011). Sexual Arousability Inventory (SAI) and Sexual Arousability Inventory–Expanded (SAI-E). In T. D. Fisher, C. M. Davis, W. L. Yarber, & S. L. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of sexuality-related measures (3rd ed., pp. 55–58). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, E. E., Farina, A., Hastorf, A. H., Markus, H., Miller, D. T., Scott, R. A., et al. (1984). Social stigma: The psychology of marked relationships. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, J. A., Slap, G. B., Bernstein, D. I., Tissot, A. M., Hillard, P. A., et al. (2007). Personal meaning of human papilloma virus and pap test results in adolescent and young adult women. Health Psychology, 26(2), 192–200.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laumann, E. O., Paik, A., Glasser, D. B., Kang, J., Wang, T., Levinson, B., … Gingell, C. (2006). A cross-national study of subjective sexual well-being among older women and men: Findings from the Global Study of Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35, 145–161.

  • Laumann, E. O., Paik, A., & Rosen, R. C. (1999). Sexual dysfunction in the United States: Prevalence and predictors. Journal of the American Medical Association, 281, 537–544.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrance, K., & Byers, E. S. (1992). Development of the interpersonal model of sexual satisfaction in long term relationships. Proceedings of the meeting of the Canadian Sex Research Forum, Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 3, 123–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrance, K., & Byers, E. S. (1995). Sexual satisfaction in long-term heterosexual relationship: The Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction. Personal Relationships, 2, 267–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrance, K., Byers, E. S., & Cohen, J. (2011). Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire. In T. D. Fisher, C. M. Davis, W. L. Yarber, & S. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of sexuality-related measures (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J., & Craft, E. A. (2002). Protecting one’s self from a stigmatized disease… once one has it. Deviant Behavior, 23, 267–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemieux, S. R., & Byers, S. E. (2008). The sexual well-being of women who have experienced sexual abuse. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32, 126–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenstein, B. (2003). Stigma as a barrier to treatment of sexually transmitted infection in the American deep south: Issues of race, gender, and poverty. Social Science and Medicine, 57, 2435–2445.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenstein, B., Hook, E. W., & Sharma, A. K. (2005). Public tolerance, private pain: Stigma and sexually transmitted infections in the American Deep South. Culture, Health, & Sexuality, 7(1), 43–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenstein, B., Neal, T. M., & Brodsky, S. L. (2008). The stigma of sexually transmitted infections: Knowledge, attitudes, and an educationally-based intervention. The Health Education Monograph Series, 25, 28–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lutz, J. G., & Eckert, T. L. (1994). The relationship between canonical correlation analysis and multivariate multiple regression. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54, 666–675.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacNeil, S., & Byers, E. S. (1997). The relationship between sexual problems, communication, and sexual satisfaction. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 6, 277–283.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacNeil, S., & Byers, E. S. (2005). Dyadic assessment of sexual self-disclosure and sexual satisfaction in heterosexual dating couples. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 22, 169–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacNeil, S., & Byers, E. S. (2009). Role of sexual self-disclosure in the sexual satisfaction of long-term heterosexual couples. Journal of Sex Research, 46, 3–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Major, B., & O’Brien, L. (2005). The social psychology of stigma. Annual Review of Psychology, 56, 393–421.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mark, H., Gilbert, L., & Nanda, J. (2009). Psychosocial well-being and quality of life among women newly diagnosed with genital herpes. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 38, 320–326.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Melville, J., Sniffen, S., Crosby, R., Salazar, L., Whittington, W., Dithmer-Schreck, D., et al. (2003). Psychosocial impact of a serological diagnosis of herpes simplex virus type 2: A qualitative assessment. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 79, 280–285.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Milhausen, R. R., & Herold, E. S. (2001). Reconceptualizing the sexual double standard. Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 13, 63–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muise, A., Preyde, M., Maitland, S., & Milhausen, R. (2010). Sexual identity and sexual well-being in female heterosexual university students. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 39, 915–925.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nack, A. (2002). Bad girls and fallen women: Chronic STD diagnoses as gateways to tribal stigma. Symbolic Interaction, 25, 463–485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nack, A. (2008). Damaged goods: Women living with chronic sexually transmitted diseases. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neal, T. M. S., Lichtenstein, B., & Brodsky, S. L. (2010). Clinical implications of stigma in HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. International Journal of STD and AIDS, 21, 158–160.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newton, D. C., & McCabe, M. (2005). A theoretical discussion of the impact of stigma on psychological adjustment to having a sexually transmitted infection. Sexual Health, 2, 63–69.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newton, D. C., & McCabe, M. (2006). Sexually transmitted infections: impact on individuals and their relationships. Journal of Health Psychology, 13, 864–869.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newton, D. C., & McCabe, M. (2008a). Effects of sexually transmitted infection status, relationship status, and disclosure status on sexual self-concept. Journal of Sex Research, 45, 187–192.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newton, D. C., & McCabe, M. (2008b). Sexually transmitted infections: Impact on individuals and their relationships. Journal of Health Psychology, 13, 864–869.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nicolosi, A., Laumann, E. O., Glasser, D. B., Brock, G., King, R., & Gingell, C. (2006). Sexual activity, sexual disorders and associated help-seeking behavior among mature adults in five anglophone countries from the Global Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors (GSSAB). Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 32, 331–342.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Sullivan, L. F., & Majerovich, J. (2008). Difficulties with sexual functioning in a sample of male and female late adolescent and early adult university students. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 17, 109–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orlandi, A., Francesconi, A., Angeloni, C., Palmieri, G., Ciotti, M., Criscuolo, A., et al. (2007). Prevalence and genotyping of human papillomavirus infection in women with vulvodynia. Acta Obstetrica et Gynecologica, 86, 1003–1010.

  • Pachankis, J. E. (2007). The psychological implications of concealing a stigma: A cognitive-affective-behavioral model. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 328–345.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, J. L., & Hyde, J. S. (2010). A meta-analytic review of research on gender differences in sexuality, 1993–2007. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 21–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Public Health Agency of Canada. (2008). Canadian Guidelines on Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2008 Edition. Ottawa, ON: Public Health Agency of Canada. Retrieved from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/std-mts/sti-its/guide-lignesdir-eng.php. Accessed 1 August 2012.

  • Renaud, C. A., & Byers, E. (2001). Positive and negative sexual cognitions: Subjective experience and relationships to sexual adjustment. Journal of Sex Research, 38, 252–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, C. F., Frank, E., Thase, M. E., Houck, P. R., Jennings, J. R., Howell, J. R., et al. (1988). Assessment of sexual function in depressed, impotent, and healthy men: Factor analysis of a Brief Sexual Function Questionnaire for men. Psychiatric Research, 24, 231–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, J., Krantz, E., Selke, S., & Wald, A. (2008). Healthcare seeking and sexual behavior among patients with symptomatic newly acquired genital herpes. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 35, 1015–1021.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, S. L., Zimet, G. D., Leichliter, J. S., Stanberry, L. R., Fife, K. H., Tu, W., et al. (2006). The psychosocial impact of serological diagnosis of asymptomatic herpes simplex virus type 2 infection. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 82, 154–158.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rusch, M. L., Shoveller, J., Burgess, S., Stancer, K., Patrick, D., & Tyndall, M. (2008a). Association of sexually transmitted disease-related stigma with sexual health care among women attending a community clinic. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 35, 553–557.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rusch, M. L., Shoveller, J., Burgess, S., Stancer, K., Patrick, D., & Tyndall, M. (2008b). Preliminary development of a scale to measure stigma relating to sexually transmitted infections among women in a high risk neighbourhood. BMC Women’s Health, 8, 21.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, G., Mysak, K., & Michael, S. (2008). Sexual double standards and sexually transmitted illnesses: Social rejection and stigmatization of women. Sex Roles, 58, 391–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J. F., Rosen, R. C., & Leiblum, S. R. (1994). Self-report assessment of female sexual function: Psychometric evaluation of the Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 23, 627–643.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vannier, S. A., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2010). Sex without desire: Characteristics of occasions of sexual compliance in young adults’ committed relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 47, 429–539.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wiederman, M. W. (1999). Volunteer bias in sexuality research using college student participants. Journal of Sex Research, 36, 59–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, J. P., Chank, K. B. K., Boi-Doku, R., & McWatt, S. (2012). Risk discourse and sexual stigma: Barriers to STI testing, treatment and care among young heterosexual women in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Toronto. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 21(2), 75–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (2010). Measuring sexual health: Conceptual and practical considerations and related indicators. Geneva, Switzerland: Author. Retrieved from: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2007/9789241563475_eng.pdf. Accessed 30 July 2012.

  • Young, S. D., Nussbaum, A. D., & Monin, B. (2007). Potential moral stigma and reactions to sexually transmitted diseases: Evidence for a disjunction fallacy. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33, 789–799.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Parts of this research were conducted with the support of funding from a Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada Doctoral Fellowship to the first author and under the supervision of the second author. We would like to thank the members of the Human Sexuality Research Group at the University of New Brunswick, including Kerri Gibson, Deanne Simms, Sara Thornton, Leah Levac, Krystelle Shaughnessy, and Alana Kalinowski for their helpful suggestions and feedback on this project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3, Canada

    Lyndsay R. Foster & E. Sandra Byers

Authors
  1. Lyndsay R. Foster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. Sandra Byers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Sandra Byers.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Foster, L.R., Byers, E.S. Predictors of the Sexual Well-being of Individuals Diagnosed with Herpes and Human Papillomavirus. Arch Sex Behav 45, 403–414 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0388-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0388-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation