<![CDATA[Dyspareunia, or pain during sexual intercourse, is common among perimenopausal women, negatively affecting their quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and relationships. Limited observational data exists on non-pharmacological self-management strategies for pain relief, particularly in Indonesia. This study examines the associations between three self-management strategies—vaginal lubricants, enhanced foreplay, and couple communication—and the reduction of dyspareunia pain in Indonesian perimenopausal women. A cross-sectional study involving 63 women (aged 40–55) with dyspareunia who had used at least one self-management strategy for at least four weeks was conducted at Puskesmas Cimahi Utara, Cimahi, Indonesia, from January 2024 to June 2024. Participants were divided into four groups: lubricants (n=14), foreplay (n=30), communication (n=8), and combined approaches (n=11). Pain intensity was assessed using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Pre-strategy scores were obtained retrospectively, and post-strategy scores reflected current pain levels. Welch ANOVA and Games-Howell post-hoc tests analyzed mean pain reduction across groups. Significant differences in pain reduction were found among the groups (F(3.59)=24.36, p<0.001, η2=0.553). Lubricants showed the greatest reduction in pain (mean=1.86±0.95 points; 95% CI=1.30–2.41), significantly more than communication (p=0.0295, Cohen's d=0.68) and approaching significance compared to foreplay (p=0.0542, Cohen's d=0.68). All groups reported statistically significant pain reductions. In conclusion, vaginal lubricant use led to the greatest reduction in self-management strategies for dyspareunia pain among perimenopausal women in Indonesia, outperforming enhanced and foreplay couple communication strategies.]]>
