Individual Perceptions of the Efficacy, Quality, and Safety of Sexual Health Care Delivered via a Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth Platform: Retrospective Analysis of Data From a Cross-Sectional Survey Study.
Bohl M, Governale L, et al. • JMIR formative research • 2026
Men who accessed sexual health treatment via a national DTC telehealth platform had positive perceptions of the overall quality and safety of care, and were more likely than nonsexual health patients to rate telehealth as better than in-person care across multiple dimensions.
Key Findings
Results
The majority of men who accessed sexual health treatment through a DTC telehealth platform reported favorable impressions of care quality and safety.
497 men accessed sexual health treatment and 512 men accessed other types of treatment through the platform.
Among sexual health participants, 397 of 497 (≥80%) reported favorable impressions of the quality and safety of care across most survey items.
Survey was completed between June 30, 2025, and July 3, 2025.
The survey consisted of 4 sets of items asking about perceptions of quality and safety of care accessed.
Results
Sexual health participants were more likely than nonsexual health participants to view the online intake process as similar to an in-person appointment.
Chi-square test result: χ²1=12.4; P<.001.
This comparison was made between 497 sexual health participants and 512 nonsexual health participants.
This finding suggests the asynchronous or online intake format was perceived as comparably thorough to traditional in-person visits by sexual health users.
Results
Sexual health participants were more likely than nonsexual health participants to rate the telehealth experience as better than in-person care with respect to privacy and discretion.
Chi-square test result: χ²1=14.8; P<.001.
Privacy and discretion is a dimension particularly relevant to sexual health conditions, which may carry social stigma.
This was one of eight specific dimensions on which sexual health participants rated telehealth more favorably.
Results
Sexual health participants were more likely than nonsexual health participants to rate telehealth as better than in-person care for the convenience of managing their care.
Chi-square test result: χ²1=14.9; P<.001.
Convenience was one of eight specific dimensions tested in comparisons between groups.
Results
Sexual health participants were more likely than nonsexual health participants to rate telehealth as better than in-person care for the thoroughness of questions asked during intake.
Chi-square test result: χ²1=23.5; P<.001.
This was the largest chi-square value among all eight dimensions compared, suggesting the strongest difference between groups on this item.
Thoroughness of intake questions is a key element of perceived care quality.
Results
Sexual health participants were more likely than nonsexual health participants to rate telehealth as better than in-person care for the clarity of treatment options and information.
Chi-square test result: χ²1=17.1; P<.001.
Clarity of treatment information is a component of informed consent and perceived care quality.
Results
Sexual health participants were more likely than nonsexual health participants to rate telehealth as better than in-person care for overall sense of safety and medical quality.
Chi-square test result: χ²1=18.2; P<.001.
This finding directly addresses ongoing debate about whether DTC telehealth platforms can deliver safe and effective care.
The same chi-square value (18.2) was observed for both 'overall sense of safety and medical quality' and 'trust in the care model and medical providers.'
Results
Sexual health participants were more likely than nonsexual health participants to rate telehealth as better than in-person care for trust in the care model and medical providers.
Chi-square test result: χ²1=18.2; P<.001.
Trust in providers and the care model is a key component of patient-reported experience measures.
Results
Sexual health participants were more likely than nonsexual health participants to rate telehealth as better than in-person care for transparency about possible side effects and risks.
Chi-square test result: χ²1=12.8; P<.001.
Transparency about side effects is a component of informed consent and patient safety.
This was the eighth dimension on which sexual health participants rated DTC telehealth more favorably than nonsexual health participants.
Methods
The study was a retrospective analysis of cross-sectional survey data from men who accessed a large national DTC telehealth platform.
A total of 1,009 men completed the survey (497 sexual health, 512 nonsexual health).
Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses and chi-square tests were used to compare groups.
Data were gathered from an online survey sent to individuals who had already accessed treatment through the platform, introducing potential selection bias.
The survey window was narrow: June 30, 2025, to July 3, 2025 (approximately 3 days).
What This Means
This research suggests that men who used a direct-to-consumer (DTC) telehealth platform for sexual health concerns — such as erectile dysfunction or other sexual health issues — generally had positive views of the care they received. In a survey of nearly 500 men who sought sexual health treatment, at least 80% reported favorable impressions of the quality and safety of their care across most questions asked. When compared to nearly 500 other men who used the same platform for non-sexual health concerns, the sexual health group was consistently more likely to say that telehealth was better than in-person care across eight specific areas, including privacy, convenience, thoroughness of intake questions, clarity of treatment information, and transparency about side effects.
The findings are notable because there has been ongoing debate about whether DTC telehealth platforms — where patients interact with providers entirely online without ever meeting face-to-face — can deliver care that is truly safe and high quality. This study suggests that at least from the patient's perspective, men seeking sexual health care through these platforms feel well-served. The fact that sexual health users rated the experience more favorably than users seeking other types of care may reflect the particular value that privacy and discretion hold for individuals dealing with sensitive health concerns.
This research has limitations worth noting: the survey was self-reported by existing platform users over just a few days, which means the results reflect the views of people who had already chosen and used the service, and may not represent everyone who seeks sexual health care. The study also measured perceptions rather than objective clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, the authors suggest these findings can help inform future research on telehealth quality and safety, as well as guide the development of virtual health care services.
Bohl M, Governale L, Stahl P, Beasley K, Yu J. (2026). Individual Perceptions of the Efficacy, Quality, and Safety of Sexual Health Care Delivered via a Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth Platform: Retrospective Analysis of Data From a Cross-Sectional Survey Study.. JMIR formative research. https://doi.org/10.2196/95561