scholarly journals The social organisation of sexual relationships: an exploratory qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Pothoulaki ◽  
Gabriele Vojt ◽  
Fiona Mapp ◽  
Melvina Woode Owusu ◽  
Catherine Mercer ◽  
...  

This study shows how contemporary understandings of relationships are wrought with the legacies of the past, while also being shaped by an increasingly complex, often technologically-mediated, novel social environment. Understanding these shifts in the social organisation of sexual relationships is vital to inform policies, tailor effective interventions to prevent the transmission of STIs, and to improve sexual health communication, services and outcomes. We explored the social organisation of sexual relationships through analysing qualitative data from eleven focus groups conducted in Scotland and England with members of the public and participants recruited from sexual health clinics. Purposive and convenience sampling elicited 57 participants (heterosexual, n=30, aged 18-30 years; men who have sex with men, n=27, aged 18-65 years). An initial thematic analysis was subsequently explored further in terms of its resonance with key constructs from sexual script theory. The study shows how the ways people perceive and talk about their relationships relates to the changing and multi-layered social organisation of relationships. Our findings emphasize how recent, labile, socio-cultural scenarios are shaping fluid and emerging interpersonal and intrapsychic sexual scripts leading to both new uncertainties and opportunities in the ways we relate to each other sexually.

Sexual Health ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher K. Fairley ◽  
Marcus Y. Chen ◽  
Catriona S. Bradshaw ◽  
Sepehr N. Tabrizi

The use of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), as well as or in preference to culture for non-genital sites is now recommended both in Australia and overseas because of their greater sensitivity and improved specificity. A survey of 22 Australian sexual health clinics who each year test over 14 500 men who have sex with men (MSM) show that culture remains the predominate method for detecting gonorrhoea at pharyngeal (64%) and rectal (73%) sites. This editorial discusses the potential disadvantages of using culture over NAAT in relation to optimal gonorrhoea control among MSM and advocates that significantly improved control would be achieved by moving to NAAT with the proviso that culture samples are taken wherever possible on NAAT-positive samples and from clients with urethritis to ensure continued surveillance for antimicrobial resistance.


Vaccine ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (33) ◽  
pp. 5065-5070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Nadarzynski ◽  
Helen Smith ◽  
Daniel Richardson ◽  
Stephen Bremner ◽  
Carrie Llewellyn

2020 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Ngai ◽  
Don Weiss ◽  
Julie Anne Bell ◽  
Difaa Majrud ◽  
Greicy Zayas ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (25) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison E Brown ◽  
Hamish Mohammed ◽  
Dana Ogaz ◽  
Peter D Kirwan ◽  
Mandy Yung ◽  
...  

Since October 2015 up to September 2016, HIV diagnoses fell by 32% compared with October 2014–September 2015 among men who have sex with men (MSM) attending selected London sexual health clinics. This coincided with high HIV testing volumes and rapid initiation of treatment on diagnosis. The fall was most apparent in new HIV testers. Intensified testing of high-risk populations, combined with immediately received anti-retroviral therapy and a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme, may make elimination of HIV achievable.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 981-990
Author(s):  
Betania Allen-Leigh ◽  
Leonor Rivera-Rivera ◽  
Elsa Yunes-Díaz ◽  
Alejandra Jalil Portillo-Romero ◽  
Brandon Brown ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (13) ◽  
pp. 1305-1310
Author(s):  
Juan Hoyos Miller ◽  
Emily Clarke ◽  
Raj Patel ◽  
Philip Kell ◽  
Monica Desai ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Hegazi ◽  
MJ Lee ◽  
W Whittaker ◽  
S Green ◽  
R Simms ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to analyse associations between sexualised substance use (chemsex), STI diagnoses and sexual behaviour among gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men accessing sexual health clinics to better inform clinical pathways. A retrospective case notes review was undertaken following the introduction of more detailed and holistic profomas for all gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men attending two London sexual health clinics between 1 June 2014 and 31 January 2015. Chemsex status was documented for 655/818. Overall, 30% disclosed recreational drug use of whom 113 (57%) disclosed chemsex and 27 (13.5%) injecting drugs. HIV-positive gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men were more likely to disclose chemsex (AOR 6.68; 95% CI 3.91–11.42; p < 0.001). Those disclosing chemsex had a higher incidence of acute bacterial STIs (AOR 2.83 CI 1.79–4.47; p < 0.001), rectal STIs (AOR 3.10 CI 1.81–5.32; p < 0.001) or hepatitis C (AOR 15.41 CI 1.50–158.17; p = 0.021). HIV incidence in the study period was 1.8% (chemsex) vs. 0.9% (no chemsex) (p = 0.61). Chemsex was associated with having more sexual partners, transactional sex, group sex, fisting, sharing sex toys, injecting drug use, higher alcohol consumption and the use of ‘bareback’ sexual networking applications (p < 0.004). Chemsex participants were also more likely to have accessed post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV in the study period and report sex with a discordant HIV or hepatitis C-infected partner (p < 0.001). Chemsex disclosure is associated with higher risk-taking behaviours, acute bacterial STIs, rectal STIs and hepatitis C incidence. HIV incidence was higher but not significantly so in the study period. Chemsex disclosure in sexual health clinics should prompt an opportunity for prevention, health promotion and wellbeing interventions.


Sexual Health ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hammad Ali ◽  
Basil Donovan ◽  
Christopher K. Fairley ◽  
Nathan Ryder ◽  
Anna McNulty ◽  
...  

To answer a key question (‘Are Australian sexual health clinics attracting priority populations?’), we used data from 44 Australian sexual health clinics between 2004 and 2011. We assessed the proportion of patients that were from priority populations (deemed to be at risk of sexually transmissible infections) and compared this to their proportions in the general population using data from Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Study of Health and Relationships. A χ2-test was used. A total of 278 154 new patients attended during 2004–2011. The proportions from each priority population were significantly higher (P < 0.01 for all) than for the general population: young people aged 15–29 years (58.1% v. 20.1%), men who have sex with men (26.0% v. 6.0%), female sex workers (10.8% v. 0.5%), and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (4.2% v. 2.3%). This study confirms that Australian sexual health clinics attract higher proportions of priority populations and are thus meeting their mandate as defined in the 2010–2013 National Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy.


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