Results consistently showed strong correlations between sexual health, overall health and well-being, with almost all studies finding significant associations between positive sexual health indicators and lower depression and anxiety, higher quality of life, and greater life satisfaction.
Key Findings
Methods
A systematic search of six major databases identified 63 studies meeting inclusion criteria from 23,930 unique titles identified.
Databases searched included Scopus, PsyArticles, PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, and LILACS
Search was conducted in February 2024 with no language restrictions
The 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed
Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Exposures (ROBINS-E) tool
Results were grouped into two categories: (i) sexual and physical health; and (ii) sexual and psychological health
Results
Almost all included studies found significant associations between positive sexual health indicators and lower depression and anxiety.
This association was found among both men and women
The association held across diverse populations including older adults, pregnant women, and same-sex and mixed-sex couples
Results were described as 'consistently' showing these associations across studies
The finding applied to both physical and psychological health outcome categories
Results
Positive sexual health indicators were significantly associated with higher quality of life across multiple population groups.
The association between positive sexual health and quality of life was found among men and women
Populations studied included older adults, pregnant women, same-sex couples, and mixed-sex couples
63 studies contributed to these findings
The associations were described as 'strong correlations'
Results
Positive sexual health indicators were significantly associated with greater life satisfaction among diverse populations.
Life satisfaction associations were found among both men and women
The association extended to older adults, pregnant women, and both same-sex and mixed-sex couples
Results were consistent across the 63 included studies
This finding contributed to the conclusion that sexual health should be regarded as an important component of overall health and well-being
Conclusions
The review findings indicate that emphasizing a positive perspective on sexual health should be regarded as an important component of efforts to improve overall health and well-being for everyone.
Authors concluded that 'highlighting its benefits should be regarded as an important component of the effort to improve overall health and well-being for everyone'
The positive perspective on sexual health was contrasted with a disease-focused or risk-focused approach
This conclusion applied across gender, age groups, and relationship types
The study used the ROBINS-E tool to assess risk of bias in the included non-randomized studies
What This Means
This research suggests that sexual health is meaningfully connected to overall physical and mental health. Researchers systematically reviewed 63 studies from thousands of identified articles, examining how different aspects of sexual health relate to indicators like depression, anxiety, quality of life, and life satisfaction. The evidence consistently pointed in the same direction: people with better sexual health tended to report lower levels of depression and anxiety, higher quality of life, and greater satisfaction with their lives overall. These patterns were found across a wide range of people, including men and women, older adults, pregnant women, and both same-sex and mixed-sex couples.
This research suggests that sexual health is not just about the absence of disease or dysfunction, but is positively linked to broader human well-being. The connection held across very different groups of people, suggesting it may be a general feature of human health rather than limited to specific populations. Because all 63 studies were observational (not experiments), the review cannot prove that improving sexual health directly causes better mental health outcomes — the relationship could work in multiple directions, or both could be influenced by other factors.
The practical implication highlighted by the authors is that healthcare systems and public health efforts may benefit from treating sexual health as a positive dimension of overall health, rather than focusing only on preventing sexually transmitted infections or treating sexual dysfunction. This research suggests that incorporating positive sexual health promotion into general health programs could be a meaningful way to support well-being across the lifespan.
Vasconcelos P, Carrito M, Quinta-Gomes A, Patrão A, Nóbrega C, Costa P, et al.. (2024). Associations between sexual health and well-being: a systematic review.. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.24.291565