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Clinical reviews on sexual health

Relationship structure and sexual health

21 Dec 2020Registered users

Consensually nonmonogamous partnerships, including open relationships, comprise a substantial proportion of sexual relationships in the USA, a national population-based survey has concluded. It is important to be non-judgemental when eliciting sexual histories, to discuss risks and offer the right tests to the right people to minimise STI/HIV transmission.

LARC uptake increases in young women

24 Mar 2020Paid-up subscribers

There has been a significant increase in the use of long-acting reversible contraception in women under 25 over the past decade, a national survey has found. However, condoms and the oral contraceptive pill are still the most commonly used methods.

Where do patients seek help for genitourinary symptoms?

25 Nov 2019Paid-up subscribers

The majority of patients with genitourinary (GU) symptoms do not attend sexual health clinic (SHCs), although many would consult their GP, an analysis of Natsal-3 survey data has shown. Natsal-3 is a probability sample survey of sexual behaviour involving 15,162 women and men in Britain aged 16-74 years.

Gonorrhoea may be transmitted by kissing in men who have sex with men

24 Oct 2019Paid-up subscribers

Men who have sex with men (MSM) may transmit oropharyngeal gonorrhoea to partners by kissing, a cross-sectional study from Australia has found.

Antiretroviral treatment in gay men minimises risk of HIV transmission

24 Jun 2019Registered users

There is effectively zero risk of HIV transmission in gay men through condomless sex when HIV viral load is adequately suppressed, the findings of the PARTNER2 study, published in the Lancet, suggest.

Adolescents face barriers to accessing sexual health information online

22 May 2019Paid-up subscribers

Teenagers are reticent to search for sexual health information online, a small qualitative study has found.

Orgasm induced by non sexual behaviour

20 Dec 2018Registered users

Orgasm may be a neuropsychological process associated with diverse forms of stimulation, according to the findings of a study published in the International Journal of Sexual Health. The investigators analysed comments from 919 individuals who responded to an anonymous post in 2013 on the website PostSecret.com. The individual, unknown to the research team, described having an orgasm during exercise. The respondents posted comments about their own experiences of non genital/non sexual orgasms.

GP training programme improves HIV testing rates

22 Nov 2018Registered users

Sexual Health in Practice (SHIP), an educational programme tailored to general practice, increased GPs’ rates of HIV testing.

Intrauterine device use associated with reduced risk of cervical cancer

22 Oct 2018Registered users

Women who had used an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) were found to have a lower risk of cancer of the cervix in a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Patients at risk of STIs not attending sexual health services

25 Jul 2018Registered users

More than 80% of women and nearly 90% of men who reported having unsafe sex in the past year did not consult sexual health services, findings from the third National Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal 3) study have shown.

Exploring the barriers to fitting IUCDs in primary care

25 Jun 2018Registered users

A general practice study has revealed a reluctance among GPs and practice nurses to fit intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCDs). An online survey was sent to 69 practices in the south east of England and 208 individuals responded. More than two-thirds of the respondents were GPs and nearly a third were nurses. When asked about statements relating to potential barriers to providing or recommending IUCDs, respondents who were not trained to fit IUCDs were more likely to identify with more barriers than those who had been trained.

Composition of vaginal microbiota may increase risk of chlamydia infection

22 May 2018Paid-up subscribers

 Lactobacillus iners-dominated vaginal microbiota was associated with increased susceptibility to Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women, in a Dutch nested case-control study.

Self-taken swabs can detect bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis

23 Jan 2018Registered users

Lower vaginal swabs taken by patients are as reliable as high vaginal swabs taken by clinicians for the detection of vulvovaginal candidiasis or bacterial vaginosis, a UK study has shown.

Dyspareunia in women associated with physical and mental health conditions

23 Nov 2017Paid-up subscribers

The third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles in Britain (Natsal-3) has found a strong association between women reporting painful sex and poor physical health and depressive symptoms.

Chlamydia and HIV testing for young people in primary care

22 Jun 2017Registered users

Young men and women would be happy to be offered chlamydia screening, contraception and HIV tests from GPs, a UK study has shown.

GP vs clinic care for people living with HIV

22 Mar 2017Registered users

Around 60% of people living with HIV would choose GP care in preference to an HIV clinic, a UK study has found.

Exploring risk-taking behaviour for STIs in middle age

22 Feb 2017Paid-up subscribers

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates are increasing in the over 45 age group. However, feelings of guilt, embarrassment about age and stigma attached to STIs may deter middle-aged people from consulting sexual health services, a UK study has found.