Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38789276›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2024

Sexual satisfaction, an indicator of sexual health and well-being? Insights from STI/HIV prevention research in European men who have sex with men.

Karel Blondeel, Massimo Mirandola, Lorenzo Gios, Cinta Folch, Christiana Noestlinger, Maddalena Cordioli, Petra De Sutter, Marleen Temmerman, Igor Toskin, Sialon II Network

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ global health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. How to Define Sexual Health? A Qualitative Analysis of People's Perceptions.International journal of sexual health : official journal of the World Association for Sexual Health · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Karel BlondeelDepartment of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (includes the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction [HRP]), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland blondeelk@who.int.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6900-9124
Massimo MirandolaInfectious Diseases Section, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Lorenzo GiosInfectious Diseases Section, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Cinta FolchCentre Estudis Epidemiològics sobre les Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya (CEEISCAT) Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
Christiana NoestlingerInstitute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium.
Maddalena CordioliInfectious Diseases Section, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Petra De SutterGhent University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gent, Belgium.
Marleen TemmermanGhent University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gent, Belgium.
Igor ToskinDepartment of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (includes the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction [HRP]), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Sialon II Network

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAlthough sexual health has been holistically defined to include sexual satisfaction, it has been largely absent in health services and sexual and reproductive health and rights programmes in many parts of the world. We propose sexual satisfaction as a useful indicator, as one of the proxy measures for sexual health and well-being and as a component of well-being in general.

methodsThe Sialon II project is a multicentre biological and behavioural cross-sectional community-based survey implemented across 13 European cities during 2013-2014 among men who have sex with men. Sexual satisfaction was explored using one single item: 'How satisfied are you with your sex life?' A multivariable multilevel logistic random-intercept model was estimated to identify factors associated with reporting positive sexual satisfaction versus negative sexual satisfaction.

resultsAge, the number of partners and self-reported HIV status were not significantly associated with sexual satisfaction in the multivariate model. Participants reporting an insertive role or reported both an insertive and receptive role during the last anal intercourse were more likely to be sexually satisfied, compared with a receptive role. Participants reporting anal intercourse with a condom were more likely to be satisfied than those declaring no anal intercourse in the last 6 months, but no significant association was found compared with anal intercourse without condom. Knowledge of HIV-serostatus concordance with the last sexual partner was positively correlated with sexual satisfaction. Having had sexual intercourse with non-steady partners only in the last 6 months was negatively correlated. The more positive participants perceived their work/school, parents and friends/acquaintances' attitudes towards gay or bisexual persons, the higher the odds they were satisfied with their sexual life.

conclusionUsing a single item on sexual satisfaction in a bio-behavioural study, our analysis has shown that it is associated with individual, interpersonal and social/structural factors and has proven its usefulness as a sexual health indicator among men who have sex with men.

Indexed as

HIV InfectionsHomosexuality, MalePersonal SatisfactionSexual HealthSexually Transmitted DiseasesAdolescentAdultCross-Sectional StudiesEuropeHumansMaleMiddle AgedSexual BehaviorSexual PartnersSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultCross-sectional surveyHIVPrevention strategiesPublic Health

Identifiers

PMID38789276
PMCPMC11129029

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.