challenges of researchers in performing sexual health research in iran: a qualitative study

Background: assessment of ethical issues in sexual health research around the world shows that published studies are scattered and limited and cannot be used as reliable sources for other studies. objectives: this qualitative study aimed to explore the challenging experiences of sexual health researchers in iran. methods: this study was conducted using a conventional qualitative content analysis method. data were collected through indepth individual interviews. the interviews were written and coded through conventional content analysis to form the initial categories. results: based on the data analysis, three main categories, seven subcategories, and 14 second subcategories were extracted. the main categories included: 1- challenges related to biomedical research ethics committees, 2- challenges of sexual health researchers, and 3- challenges related to sexual health topics. conclusions: this study was carried out to provide a better understanding of the challenges of sexual health researchers in their studies. the importance of detecting these challenges empowered researchers to cope with the challenges during their study.