ArticleThe journal of sexual medicine2016
Sexual Satisfaction and the Importance of Sexual Health to Quality of Life Throughout the Life Course of U.S. Adults.
Article in The journal of sexual medicine, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07460726 (A Single Arm Prospective Study to Investigate the Impact of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy), which is not on this map. Cited by 191 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
A Single Arm Prospective Study to Investigate the Impact of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) and Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) on Sexual Dysfunction in Unfavorable Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer
Who cites it
191 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 497 citations in OpenAlex.
- An exploration of sexual and relational impacts of transvaginal mesh injury: a systematic review using thematic synthesis.BMC women's health · 2026Pooled it
- Sexual dysfunction and effect on quality of life in chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC nephrology · 2026Pooled it
- The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Adult Female Sexual Function and Sexual Distress: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis.Turk psikiyatri dergisi = Turkish journal of psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Pleasure and PrEP: A Systematic Review of Studies Examining Pleasure, Sexual Satisfaction, and PrEP.Journal of sex research · 2022Pooled it
- Effect of l-arginine compared to placebo on sexual function in women with major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial.BMC psychiatry · 2024Trial
- Effects of Aphrodite (an Herbal Compound) on SSRI-Induced Sexual Dysfunctions and Depression in Females with Major Depressive Disorder: Findings from a Randomized Clinical Trial.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Trial
- An Evaluation of Sexual Function in the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Men Treated with the Temporarily Implanted Nitinol Device.Journal of endourology · 2023Trial
- Sexual dysfunction and health condition in Chinese doctor: prevalence and risk factors.Scientific reports · 2020Trial
- A lifestyle intervention improves sexual function of women with obesity and infertility: A 5 year follow-up of a RCT.PloS one · 2018Trial
- Sexual Function in Women with Müllerian Anatomic Differences of the Genitourinary Tract-A Qualitative Evaluation.Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology · 2026Article
- Sexual Health in Psychiatry: Bridging the Communication Gap and Training Needs between Patients and Clinicians - A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Pilot Study.Community mental health journal · 2026Article
- Puberty suppression and sexual well-being in transgender and gender-diverse individuals: evidence- and experience-based counselling and future research directions.Nature reviews. Urology · 2026Review
- Sexual Dysfunction in Women with Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Narrative Review Integrating Quantitative Evidence.Current rheumatology reports · 2026Review
- Identifying sexual health concerns, risk-taking and violence using the newly developed SEXIT Adult tool in a Swedish public outpatient sample.BMC public health · 2026Article
- A Narrative Review of Psychological and Physical Rehabilitation in Infertility Treatment: Toward Holistic Outcomes Beyond Conception.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Review
- Development and Validation of the Sexual Health Literacy Scale for Young Adults and Adults.Health literacy research and practice · 2026Article
- Sexual functioning after the age of 40 in adults with moderate or severe congenital heart disease.International journal of cardiology. Congenital heart disease · 2026Article
- Sexual Satisfaction and Orgasm Experiences During Partnered and Solo Sex Among 27,931 Users of the Flo App.Archives of sexual behavior · 2026Article
- Article
- Sexual Health Care of Women Cancer Survivors Among Minority Groups: A Pilot Study.Oncology nursing forum · 2026Article
131 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
introductionDiscussions about sexual health are uncommon in clinical encounters, despite the sexual dysfunction associated with many common health conditions. Understanding of the importance of sexual health and sexual satisfaction in U.S. adults is limited.
aimTo provide epidemiologic data on the importance of sexual health for quality of life and people's satisfaction with their sex lives and to examine how each is associated with demographic and health factors.
methodsData are from a cross-sectional self-report questionnaire from a sample of 3,515 English-speaking U.S. adults recruited from an online panel that uses address-based probability sampling.
main outcome measuresWe report ratings of importance of sexual health to quality of life (single item with five-point response) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Satisfaction With Sex Life score (five items, each with five-point responses, scores centered on the U.S. mean).
resultsHigh importance of sexual health to quality of life was reported by 62.2% of men (95% CI = 59.4-65.0) and 42.8% of women (95% CI = 39.6-46.1, P < .001). Importance of sexual health varied by sex, age, sexual activity status, and general self-rated health. For the 55% of men and 45% of women who reported sexual activity in the previous 30 days, satisfaction with sex life differed by sex, age, race-ethnicity (among men only), and health. Men and women in excellent health had significantly higher satisfaction than participants in fair or poor health. Women with hypertension reported significantly lower satisfaction (especially younger women), as did men with depression or anxiety (especially younger men).
conclusionIn this large study of U.S. adults' ratings of the importance of sexual health and satisfaction with sex life, sexual health was a highly important aspect of quality of life for many participants, including participants in poor health. Moreover, participants in poorer health reported lower sexual satisfaction. Accordingly, sexual health should be a routine part of clinicians' assessments of their patients. Health care systems that state a commitment to improving patients' overall health must have resources in place to address sexual concerns. These resources should be available for all patients across the lifespan.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.