Sexual Health Article Feed

February 9th, 2025

An Exploration of Satisfaction with Mental Health Counseling Services in Western Australia Among Sexuality and Gender Diverse Youth.

Lim B; Newnham EA; Lobo R pubmed id: 38833639

Many young people in Australia have problems with mental health, especially those who are diverse in how they identify or love. This study talked to some of these young people to see what helps them feel satisfied with mental health services. They found that having control, support, helpful resources, trust in therapists, and good organization made them happier with their care.

A Systematic Review of Gender Dysphoria Measures in Autistic Samples.

Mears K; Rai D; Shah P; Cooper K; Ashwin C pubmed id: 38831234

This research looked at how studies measure gender dysphoria in people with autism. It found that different ways of measuring can change the study results, and more autistic people showed gender dysphoria compared to those without autism. The study suggests making a new, better way to measure gender dysphoria for everyone.

Depression, Contraception, and Ambivalence Concerning Fertility.

Kremer S; Gerlach AL; Erbe D pubmed id: 38831232

People with depression have more unplanned babies because they often make mistakes with birth control. The study looked at whether feeling unsure about wanting kids affected how well people use birth control. The study found that being depressed made people less careful with birth control, but being unsure didn't change that.

One person, many changes: a socioecological qualitative analysis of the experiences of transfeminine individuals undergoing feminising gender-affirming hormone therapy.

Fowler JA; Warzywoda S; Reyment M; Crilly T; Franks N; Bisshop F; Wood P; Dean JA pubmed id: 38829652

This research studied the effects of gender-affirming hormone therapy on 15 transfeminine people in Australia. It found that the therapy causes changes in how people feel and interact with others. The study says the support for people on this therapy should look at all areas of their life.

Sexual well-being among partnered adults and couples over 60: a scoping review.

Bigras N; Popova N; Pedneault L; Brassard A; Bergeron S pubmed id: 38824393

Many people think older adults aren't interested in sex, but they are often still active and find it important. Research usually focuses on problems, not on how it affects their happiness. Talking about the positive side could help older people feel better about their sexuality.

Patterns of Sexual Risk Behaviors and Sexuality-Related Risk Factors among Young Adults in Germany: Implications for Prevention and Therapy.

Jepsen D; Healy KV; Bernard M; Markert J; Brzank PJ pubmed id: 38816590

The study looked at how young adults behave in terms of risky sexual activities and related feelings. It found three main patterns: not risky, feeling shame or guilt, and risky behavior involving drugs. The risky group often had more sexual partners, were younger when they first had sex, and included more males and non-heterosexuals.

Neither Parents' Sex Nor the Type of Family Modulates Attentional Bias Toward Infant Faces: A Preliminary Study in Different-Sex and Same-Sex Parents.

Gemignani M; Giannotti M; Rigo P; Venuti P; de Falco S pubmed id: 38811490

Parents tend to pay more attention to baby faces than adult faces, and this is linked to caring well for their babies. Researchers did a study to see if dads and different kinds of families also show this pattern and found that all parents, no matter their sex or family type, focused more on baby faces.

2023 Undetectable = Untransmittable global policy roundtable report: a multistakeholder perspective on Undetectable = Untransmittable research and policy priorities.

Wells N; Richman B; Grace D; Riley B; Hui C; Vojnov L; Stackpool-Moore L; Ong JJ; Dowell-Day A; Allan B pubmed id: 38801749

The "Undetectable=Untransmittable" campaign helps people with HIV live better lives by reducing stigma and improving treatment access. Experts say we need more understanding and trust in the U=U message, especially for all groups affected by HIV. They also suggest that using clear language like "zero risk" can help spread the message better.

Community (dis)connectedness and identity among LGBTQIA+ people during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative cross-sectional and longitudinal trajectory study.

Wootton AR; Soled KRS; Puckett JA; Garrett-Walker JJ; Hill AP; Delucio K; Veldhuis CB pubmed id: 38800743

The study looked at how LGBTQIA+ people felt about their community during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It found that their sense of connection changed, with themes like identity exploration and online connections being important. Researchers believe more studies are needed to see if these changes last after the pandemic.

STRIKE-HBV: establishing an HBV screening programme in Kilifi, Kenya-challenges, successes and lessons learnt.

Downs LO; Chirro O; Zaharani M; Safari B; Okanda D; Githinji G; Andersson MI; Newton R; Etyang A; Aliyan N; Matthews PC pubmed id: 38789267

Many people in Africa have a liver infection called hepatitis B, but only a few know they have it or get treatment. This study talks about starting a program in Kenya to help with this problem and shares what was learned to help other programs in the future.

" A Qualitative Study of Gay Men's Experiences of Social Support, Relationships and Community in Relation to Psychological Wellbeing and Distress.

Joyce E; Pratt D; Lea J pubmed id: 38787790

This study looked at the lives of young gay men and how their support, relationships, and communities affect their feelings and mental health. It found that growing up gay can be hard, especially if they face bullying or feel left out. The research suggests helping gay men by understanding their experiences and offering support.

An Evolutionary Psychological Approach Toward BDSM Interest and Behavior.

Larva MA; Rantala MJ pubmed id: 38769280

BDSM, which stands for Bondage/discipline, Dominance/submission, and Sadism/Masochism, is being talked about more these days. This study looks at why some people like BDSM by using ideas from evolutionary psychology. It explores how childhood experiences and other factors might affect whether someone likes to play dominant or submissive roles.

A patient-centered model of mental health care for trauma and minority stress in transgender and gender diverse people: A bottom-up network analysis.

Salomaa AC; Berke D; Harper K; Valentine SE; Sloan CA; Hinds Z; Gyuro L; Herbitter C; Bryant WT; Shipherd JC; Livingston NA pubmed id: 38765785

Some people who are transgender or gender diverse experience a lot of stress and trauma. This study looked at what treatments they and their care providers think work best for them. Both groups agreed that self-defense is important, and they also wanted treatments that include real-life changes, not just traditional therapy.

Informed, but uncertain: managing transmission risk and isolation in the 2022 mpox outbreak among gay and bisexual men in Australia.

Storer D; Holt M; Paparini S; Haire B; Cornelisse VJ; MacGibbon J; Broady TR; Lockwood T; Delpech V; McNulty A; Smith AKJ pubmed id: 38756104

In 2022, there was a spread of mpox, mainly affecting certain groups like gay and bisexual men, beyond places where it usually happens. People with mpox in Australia dealt with unclear health advice and made choices about staying safe and helping those around them based on past experiences with other sicknesses like HIV and COVID-19. The study suggests that health officials should listen more to people affected when planning future responses to diseases.

Sex Doll Specifications versus Human Body Characteristics.

Hanson KR; Döring N; Walter R pubmed id: 38755504

Researchers looked at sex dolls to see how they compare to real human bodies. They found that sex dolls in the USA often have exaggerated features, like being slimmer, more muscular, or having larger body parts, and are usually portrayed as White. The study explains that these dolls do not realistically represent most people.

Digital interventions for STI and HIV partner notification: a scoping review.

Woodward C; Bloch S; McInnes-Dean A; Lloyd KC; McLeod J; Saunders J; Flowers P; Estcourt CS; Gibbs J pubmed id: 38754986

The paper talks about how telling partners about infections helps stop the spread of diseases like HIV and other STIs. It also looked at using digital tools to help with this and checked if people liked using them.

Testing the feasibility of a translated and culturally adapted person-centred training programme in maternal and newborn healthcare in Democratic Republic of Congo: A process evaluation.

Carlsson Lalloo E; Temple F; Berg M; Berg U; Désiré AM; Mulunda A; Bogren M pubmed id: 38754346

The study looks at ways to make healthcare better for moms and babies in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A special training program from Gothenburg University is being tested to see if it works well for healthcare workers there.

"You feel like you're fairly disadvantaged with an advert over your head saying 'in final years of reproduction'": social egg freezing, dating and the (unequal) politics of reproductive ageing.

Baldwin K pubmed id: 38739479

The study looks at how middle-class professional women decide on having families and partners. It talks about how the idea of "having it all" and using new technologies like egg freezing affects their choices. The research also discusses how this affects their relationships and the power dynamics with partners, especially as they get older.

Doomscrolling: Prospective associations between daily COVID news exposure, internalizing symptoms, and substance use among sexual and gender minority individuals assigned female at birth.

Dyar C; Crosby S; Newcomb ME; Mustanski B; Kaysen D pubmed id: 38737889

The study found that people who saw more COVID news felt sadder, more worried, and more stressed about COVID. They also used alcohol and cannabis more to help them feel better. It's important to be careful about how much COVID news we watch so we can take care of our feelings and health.

How deep is the cut? The influence of daily microaggressions on bisexual women's health.

Smith AU; Bostwick WB; Burke L; Hequembourg AL; Santuzzi A; Hughes TL pubmed id: 38737574

The study found that bisexual women often face unfair treatment, called microaggressions, which can hurt their mental and physical health. Researchers studied a group of diverse bisexual women in Chicago and found that Latina bisexual women had worse health outcomes compared to Black bisexual women. The study shows the importance of creating changes to help improve the health of bisexual women.

Strengthening healthcare delivery in Rwanda: Implementation science training for reproductive health researchers.

Buser JM; Bazakare MLI; Kaberuka G; August E; Mukeshimana M; Gray R; Ntasumbumuyange D; Jacobson-Davies FE; Endale T; Tengera O; Smith YR pubmed id: 38733830

The study looks at how teaching researchers in Rwanda about implementation science can help improve reproductive healthcare. It checks if a training program can make researchers feel more confident and knowledgeable about using this science in their work.