Sexual Health
498 peer-reviewed studies indexed
The psychosocial impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on frontline staff providing sexual health and family planning services in Kenya: a mixed-methods study.
The psychosocial wellbeing of HCWs was majorly neglected in the government response mechanisms for the pandemic leading to burnout and depression, as well as HCWs absconding their duties and avoidance of testing and disclosure of status.
An Innovative Youth-Friendly Electronic Questionnaire to Identify Mental, Sexual and Reproductive Health Risks: A Validation Study of the Total Teen Assessment.
The Total Teen Assessment is a statistically and clinically valid instrument that can be used to easily evaluate adolescent needs related to sexual, reproductive and mental health, helping providers identify risks early to reduce the likelihood of major issues.
Translation and Pilot Validation of the EORTC QLQ-SH22 Module in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam for Assessing Sexual Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Patients.
The Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam versions of the EORTC QLQ-SH22 are culturally appropriate and reliable tools for assessing sexual health-related quality of life in cancer patients in South Indian populations.
The impact of implementing a self-administered electronic sexual health questionnaire on STI testing and diagnosis rates.
Implementing a self-administered electronic questionnaire for sexual history intake focusing on organ contact significantly increased both testing frequency and CT and GC diagnoses compared to the preceding four years of conventional verbal intake.
What We Fail to Teach: A Systematic Review of Sexual Health Education in the Deep South.
Despite strong support from key stakeholders for sex-ed that goes beyond abstinence, abstinence remains the primary focus of sex-ed across the Deep South, failing to harness sex-ed as a real tool for change.
Adaptation, acceptability and preliminary impacts of a sexual health and financial literacy intervention for indigenous adolescents in Ecuador: A mixed-methods pilot study.
This pilot study found that a combined financial literacy and reproductive health intervention adapted for indigenous youth in Ecuador showed positive associations with financial literacy and sexual health knowledge, with focus group participants valuing both components and reporting improved decision-making around sex and relationships.
HEalth professionals Responding to MEn for Safety (HERMES): Mixed methods evaluation of a pilot sexual health intervention for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men experiencing domestic violence and abuse.
HERMES increased sexual health practitioners' preparedness and confidence in identifying DVA among gbMSM, with a significant increase in identification and reporting practices from 0% to 30%, but none of the identified patients contacted the specialist DVA referral service.
A Pilot Trial of an LGBTQ-Affirmative Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Transgender and Gender Expansive Individuals' Mental, Behavioral, and Sexual Health.
LGBTQ-affirmative cognitive-behavioral therapy showed feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy among transgender and gender expansive individuals living in the high-stigma context of Romania, with reductions in depression, anxiety, and certain minority stress mechanisms.
Opening the digital doorway to sexual healthcare: Recommendations from a behaviour change wheel analysis of barriers and facilitators to seeking online sexual health information and support among underserved populations.
Using a Behaviour Change Wheel analysis of barriers and facilitators among underserved UK populations, this study generated theory-informed recommendations to improve access to online sexual health information and support, including education, training, and environmental restructuring interventions.
One way or another, you are not going to fit: trans and gender diverse people's perspectives on sexual health services in the United Kingdom.
Trans and gender diverse people in the UK expect sexual health services are 'not set up' for them, reinforced by poor healthcare experiences and lack of information, and participants' suggestions for inclusive care align with and reinforce BASHH expert recommendations.
Sexual Health Advocacy for Guys (SHAG): a randomized trial of the impact of a text-messaging program on HIV incidence and STI testing among a national sample of sexual minority cisgender adolescent and young adult men.
This paper describes the protocol for the first randomized controlled trial with a national sample of cisgender sexual minority adolescent boys and young men ages 13-22 exploring the efficacy of a text messaging-based intervention in increasing HIV and STI testing, and PrEP and PEP use.
Experiences of drought, heavy rains, and flooding and linkages with refugee youth sexual and reproductive health in a humanitarian setting in Uganda: qualitative insights.
Extreme weather events (drought, heavy rains, and flooding) in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement contribute to resource insecurities that increase sexual and gender-based violence risks, transactional sex, menstruation insecurity, and broader sexual and reproductive health harms among refugee youth, particularly young women.
"Your sexuality is yours and yours alone": a reflexive thematic analysis of sexual orientation microaggressions and their impact on LGB emerging adults' sexual health knowledge and attitudes.
Sexual orientation microaggressions (SOMs) greatly influence how LGB individuals view their identity, sexual health, and attitudes toward sexual behavior, with family, religion, coping strategies, and sex education emerging as critical thematic domains.
Information and counselling on sexual health in cardiac and respiratory disease: description of community dwelling patients' needs and reflections of health care professionals.
This study highlights a significant gap between the sexual health needs of patients with cardiac and/or respiratory diseases and the information provided by HCPs, with most patients desiring more support.
"We don't see a future in them…" barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services among young people with disabilities in Kyotera border district.
Young people with disabilities in Kyotera border district face multilevel barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services, including individual barriers (limited awareness and low self-esteem), community barriers (beliefs and practices), and health facility barriers (communication challenges, commodity shortages, and negative provider attitudes).
Application of Youth-Led Participatory Action Research to Examining Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Ontario: What Can We Learn?
Youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) on adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Ontario yielded results that were 'relevant, meaningful, adolescent-responsive, and culturally informed' while positively impacting the youth researchers themselves and identifying multiple barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services and products.
Impact of reproductive health intervention on awareness of sexual and reproductive health service among adolescents in the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions of Ghana.
Using the KAP mobile app can help increase sexual and reproductive health knowledge among teenagers, with statistically significant improvement in scores after completing learning modules.
Bridging the know-do gap: improved adolescent sexual and reproductive health and health information systems in West Africa and the Middle East.
The Cedar Cohort's 16 implementation research projects across West Africa and the Middle East (2017-2023) provide 'concrete findings and localized insights into the transformative change possible when high-quality research is combined with an understanding of social, economic, political, and cultural factors' to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
The Implications of HIV Biomedical Prevention for Perceived HIV Risk and Psychosexual Health among Sexual Minority Men in the United States.
PrEP use was associated with greater sexual esteem and satisfaction among sexual minority men, with perceived HIV risk serving as a significant mediator, suggesting public health messaging should highlight the psychosexual benefits of using PrEP.
Developing and piloting an intervention to increase adolescent access to sexual and reproductive healthcare: a mixed-methods study.
A community-integrated, multi-component intervention (AccessKCTeen) featuring SRH outreach events, telemedicine, and mobile health clinics is acceptable to marginalized adolescents and warrants further evaluation of its impact on SRH outcomes.
Assessment of Community Stakeholders' and Health Educators and Professionals' Needs for the Continuous Enhancement of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Mali (Project CLEFS): Protocol for a Convergent Mixed Methods Study.
Project CLEFS presents a convergent mixed methods study protocol to identify sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) training needs among communities, educational actors, and primary health care providers in Mali, with data collected from 3153 quantitative participants and 11 interviews plus 27 focus groups.
Feasibility and acceptability of Let's Talk Digital, a blended learning family strengthening and sexual reproductive health intervention for adolescents and their caregivers in South Africa.
Let's Talk Digital, a blended learning family-strengthening and sexual health intervention combining in-person sessions with smartphone-based eLearning modules, demonstrated feasibility and acceptability among adolescents and caregivers in South Africa, with 86% of adolescents and 76% of caregivers completing most modules and attending at least five live sessions.
Application of the Health Belief Model (HBM) to Explore the Quality of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Education in Sri Lanka.
Self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity significantly predicted the perceived benefits of quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education among Sri Lankan undergraduates, while external cues to action and perceived barriers did not.
Associated factors with the access to sexual health and STI/HIV services for individuals aged 18 and older in the Marrakech-Safi region of Morocco: a cross-sectional study.
Although age and gender significantly affect access to sexual health services, adherence to gender norms does not influence access to sexual health or STI/HIV services in the Marrakech-Safi region of Morocco.
Evaluating the implementation fidelity of national standards for adolescent- and youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services in Tanzania: a descriptive cross-sectional survey.
The study revealed suboptimal coverage and incomplete implementation fidelity of National Standards for adolescent- and youth-friendly SRH services in Tanzanian health facilities, with an average implementation fidelity of 65% and no facility achieving full compliance.
"It's Been a Very Liberating Experience": Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis for Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and Experiences With Sexual Pleasure by Men Who Have Sex With Men.
Men who have sex with men reported that doxy-PEP use improved their sexual pleasure and intimacy with partners, with positive experiences similar in men living with and without HIV.
Co-creating inclusive sexual health services for middle-aged and older adults, including disabled people, in England: an innovative participatory approach within the field of sexual health.
Co-creation is crucial for inclusive health services, but underexplored in sexual health research involving middle-aged, older and disabled individuals, and this study emphasises shared ownership which enables the offering of practical guidance for researchers and healthcare professionals.
Lay health worker-delivered and technology-based interventions for sexual and reproductive health among adolescents and young adults in low- and middle-income countries: protocol for a scoping review.
This paper presents a protocol for a scoping review of lay health worker-delivered and technology-based sexual and reproductive health interventions targeting adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 in low- and middle-income countries, to synthesize existing evidence and identify gaps for future research.
Development of an mHealth App Prototype for LGBTQIA+ Individuals' Sexual and Reproductive Health in Gauteng Province, South Africa: Design Science Research Study.
A co-created mHealth app prototype named 'Queery wellness hub' was developed using Design Science Research to address the sexual and reproductive health needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals in Gauteng Province, South Africa, incorporating features tailored to enhance accessibility, confidentiality, and user engagement.
Applying community-based action learning in the provision of gender transformative sexual and reproductive health services in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
Action learning has shown promise in understanding young people's SRHR challenges and in developing strategies to advance gender-transformative youth-friendly SRHR services in Nigeria.
Using radio programming to reach young adolescents with gender and sexual health information in a low-income urban setting in Kenya.
Radio programming was perceived as a good platform for knowledge transfer and discussions about gender norms and SRH among young adolescents, and enhanced parent-adolescent communication on SRH issues in a low-income urban Kenyan setting.
Sexually transmitted infections and sexual practices with non-work partners, among female sex workers attending a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, 2011-2020.
Among female sex workers attending a Melbourne sexual health clinic, condomless sex with non-work casual male partners increased significantly from 2011 to 2020 and was associated with higher odds of STI detection, while overall STI positivity remained low.
The Health Sector Response to Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Reproductive Health Programs in the Commonwealth and Selected African Countries: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
A mixed methods systematic review protocol is described to examine health sector responses to gender-based violence, violence against women and girls, and sexual and reproductive health rights in 24 Commonwealth and 7 selected African countries, with 60 studies identified as eligible for inclusion to date.
Adolescent Perceptions of HIV Testing Access and Utilization Across Two States with Varying Laws Regulating Minors' Access to Confidential Sexual Health Services: A Qualitative Study in Connecticut and New Jersey.
Despite stressing the importance of confidentiality, most adolescents lacked awareness of state laws regulating minors' access to confidential sexual health services, and few thematic differences were found between states with and without mandated HIV testing confidentiality.
Beyond reproductive rights: implementing the Africentric reproductive justice framework in sexual and reproductive health and rights litigations in Africa.
Achieving genuine reproductive justice in Africa necessitates moving beyond the 'right to choice' and requires an Africentric Reproductive Justice framework rooted in decolonial principles that addresses structural barriers, historical injustices, intersectionality, race, class, gender, and socioeconomic status.
Parent-Adolescent Relationship Quality, Sexual Health Communication, and Willingness to Support Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV: A Qualitative Study.
Parents who were more willing to support their adolescent hypothetically using PrEP tended to describe high-quality relationships, acceptance of SGD identities, sex positivity of sexual health communication, and general positivity about PrEP.
Co-creating gender-transformative interventions for adolescent mental, sexual, and reproductive health and rights: Influence of context and actors on process and content in Niger, Ghana, and Burkina Faso.
While national AMSRHR policies in Niger, Ghana, and Burkina Faso promote gender-sensitive approaches, actual programmes remain largely gender-neutral or gender-blind, and effective co-creation of gender-transformative interventions requires engaging powerful stakeholders, addressing gendered power imbalances, and raising critical consciousness through non-threatening participatory approaches.
Promoting Responsible Sexual Behavior Through a College Freshman Seminar.
Students participating in a sexual health curriculum in a college freshman seminar report less frequent high-risk sexual behaviors than students not participating in the seminar.
Replication of a Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Curriculum in Rural Latino Communities.
Comprehensive sexual health education can be successfully implemented with Latino youth in rural communities, with evidence of strong attendance, program satisfaction, and positive change in short-term outcomes.
Access, availability, and quality of service provision women and men experiencing problems related to their sexual health across Europe: Time to act in the wake of a survey on sexual and reproductive health care services by the European Board and College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (EBCOG) and European Society of Contraception (ESC).
Sexual and reproductive healthcare services for sexual dysfunctions, non-heterosexual orientation, gender incongruence, and sexual violence victims differ largely among European countries, with additional inequalities between urban and rural areas and for vulnerable groups.
Finding knowledge: how youth identify their candidacy and sources of information regarding sexual and reproductive health in rural KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa.
Youth in rural KwaZulu-Natal identified their candidacy for sexual and reproductive health information largely ad-hoc, and while able to discriminate between multiple information sources, their information landscape was strongly shaped by formal provider and parent views and limited by stigma and socioeconomic circumstances.
Multigenerational attitudes to gender norms on intimate partner violence and the sexual and reproductive health of young people in Nigeria.
Multigenerational attitudes toward gender norms on intimate partner violence did not differ significantly across generation cohorts, but significant generational differences existed in attitudes toward sexuality and reproductive health behaviour, shaped by factors such as age, gender, and education level.
Problematic online dating app use and its association with mental and sexual health outcomes in a sample of Men-having-Sex-with-Men.
Problematic online dating app use was associated with lower mental and sexual health in MSM, including significant positive associations with depression, loneliness, anxiety, ADHD symptoms, and impulsivity, and negative associations with body acceptance, sexual fulfillment, and lifetime STI prevalence.
Association between Chinese youth's sources of sexual knowledge and sexual and reproductive health: a mediation analysis of sexual knowledge level.
Youth who acquired SRH knowledge from media were more likely to engage in sexual intercourse and experience early sexual debut, while youth gaining SRH knowledge from school were less likely to have sexual intercourse and early debut, with sexual knowledge scores serving as a mediator in these associations.
Supportive care needs related to the sexual quality of life of the spouses of ostomy patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer: a descriptive phenomenological study.
Spouses of ostomy patients with colorectal cancer experience significant sexual quality of life impacts and have unmet supportive care needs encompassing sexual health education, psychological support, and financial resources, demonstrating that 'spouses are not only caregivers but also emotionally and sexually affected by the illness process.'
The influence of the expanded Global Gag Rule on Malawi's sexual and reproductive health and rights landscape: a qualitative study.
PLGHA (expanded Global Gag Rule) was associated with impaired abortion law reform, prevention of safe post-abortion care, and reinforced abortion stigma in Malawi, and participants felt these impacts endured even after the policy's revocation in January 2021.
Setting research priorities for maternal, newborn and child health, sexual and reproductive health and nutrition in Afghanistan: an application of the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology.
A CHNRI methodology exercise identified the 20 highest priority research questions for maternal, newborn and child health, sexual and reproductive health, and nutrition in Afghanistan, with top priorities focused on characterising MNCH service availability and quality, leveraging local interventions for malnutrition, and strategies for increasing immunisation coverage.
Understanding the dynamics of sexual and reproductive health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa using the Demographic and Health Survey: the need for longitudinal studies.
A thorough comprehension of sexual and reproductive health in sub-Saharan Africa necessitates the incorporation of longitudinal studies to guide evidence-based practices, as cross-sectional data like the Demographic and Health Survey are constrained in their ability to capture the dynamic aspects of sexual and reproductive health issues.
Assessing the impact of the journey plus curriculum on sexual and reproductive health and rights and behavioural change among Ugandan youth.
The Journeys Plus curriculum has proven effective in promoting behavior change, enhancing knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and rights, practical vocational skills, empowering young people against gender-based violence, and fostering meaningful peer relationships among Ugandan youth.
Digital Health Literacy and Its Role in Awareness of and Access to Sexual Health Products and Services Among Displaced Youth in Uganda's Informal Urban Settlements: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.
Digital health literacy (DHL) was positively associated with awareness of and access to sexual health products and services among displaced youth in Kampala, Uganda, though gender-based differences existed and overall access to SRH services remained suboptimal despite generally high DHL levels.