Living with a partner with substance use disorder 'threatens women's sexual health and causes multifaceted physical, psychological, and social difficulties.'
Women with partners with SUD experience detrimental impacts on their sexual health across multiple dimensions.
Thematic analysis identified four overarching themes related to how SUD affects women's sexual health.
Violence emerged as a distinct overarching theme in the experiences of women with partners with SUD.
SUD in male partners was found to affect both male and female sexuality, each constituting a separate theme.
The authors concluded that healthcare professionals and policymakers should develop holistic support and intervention programs for women with partners with SUD.
This research suggests that women who live with a partner who has a substance use disorder face serious and wide-ranging harm to their sexual health. Through in-depth interviews with 15 women, researchers identified four major areas of impact: how addiction disrupts family life, exposure to violence, changes in their partner's sexuality, and changes in their own sexuality. The findings paint a picture of relationships where addiction creates an environment that is physically unsafe, emotionally damaging, and sexually harmful for women. The study is notable for highlighting violence as a central and distinct experience for these women, not merely a side issue. It also recognizes that the sexual health consequences flow in multiple directions — affecting both the women themselves and their partners' sexual functioning — suggesting that addiction reshapes the entire intimate dynamic of the relationship. This research suggests that healthcare providers and policymakers need to create comprehensive support programs specifically designed for women in these situations. Because the harms span physical, psychological, and social dimensions, addressing any single aspect in isolation is unlikely to be sufficient. The study points to a gap in current care, where the sexual health needs of women affected by a partner's addiction may be overlooked or inadequately addressed.
Tandoğan &, Ak E, Karagözlü B. (2026). Women's Sexual Health in the Context of Spousal Substance Use Disorder: A Qualitative Study.. Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services. https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20250708-03