Transgender individuals may decide to seek gender-affirming care to transition their physical characteristics to match their gender identity. Two standard gender-affirming treatment options are gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) and gender-affirming surgery (GAS). Individuals may choose to use GAHT as a standalone therapy or in combination with GAS.

Some medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injury (SCI), and dysraphism can result in neurogenic bladder dysfunction, which means that an individual lacks bladder control due to an issue with their nerves, spinal cord, or brain. When conservative measures to address neurogenic bladder dysfunction fail, sometimes patients opt to undergo a surgery to enlarge their bladder (augmentation cystoplasty) or a surgery to remove their bladder (simple or radical cystectomy).

Many studies have demonstrated an association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, particularly in older men. Nevertheless, the causal relationship between these conditions remains difficult to define. For instance, depression and anxiety have been identified as risk factors for ED, but past research also suggests that having ED may predispose a person to developing depression or anxiety. What’s more, growing evidence has indicated a greater prevalence of ED in young men than what has historically been acknowledged. Therefore, it is increasingly important to clarify the association between ED and mental health conditions in young men.

Several studies have reported overall decreases in sexual activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing increased stress, fatigue, household and childcare responsibilities, and mandated lockdowns that might prevent people from meeting new partners as possible factors related to these declines.

The International Classification of Diseases, 11^th Revision (ICD-11) defines compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) as “an impulse control disorder with an inability to control repetitive sexual impulses or urges, resulting in repetitive sexual behaviors, which causes clinically significant problems in social and emotional functioning and marked distress” (Koós et al., 2022).

A person’s sexual health can have ripple effects on various other parts of their life. Depending on the circumstances, sexual health can support or detract from a person’s mental health, physical health, and relationships. Conversely, many aspects of a person’s physical and mental health can directly impact their sexual health. Conditions such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression, anxiety, and pelvic floor disorders can be detrimental to a person’s sexual function, thus possibly decreasing their quality of life.

Increasingly, health care providers use validated questionnaires to collect patient-reported outcomes to evaluate patients’ symptoms and guide possible treatment plans. The female sexual function index (FSFI) is a widely used validated questionnaire that is considered the gold standard for assessing female sexual dysfunction.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as “the conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect a wide range of health and quality-of-life risks and outcomes” (Kim et al., 2022).

BDSM (bondage-discipline, dominance-submission, and/or sadism-masochism) is generally used as an umbrella term for consensual sexual activities that involve bondage, roughness, pain, or a power dynamic between a dominant and submissive partner. Historically, BDSM practices have been viewed as subversive, taboo, and even as an indication of psychological abnormality or unwellness.

Infertility is a condition in which a couple is unable to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term after one year of consistent vaginal intercourse. It is estimated to affect 12-16% of couples worldwide, and its diagnosis and treatment are often accompanied by several emotional, physical, and relational stressors.

Menopause is a major life transition for many women, often bringing unexpected changes in sexual function. Postmenopausal women may face factors such as genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA), and pelvic organ prolapse (POP), which are changes associated with decreased estrogen levels and, in the case of POP, weakened pelvic floor muscles. They may also be dealing with chronic conditions that they developed later in life.

Gender dysphoria is the distress a transgender individual may experience as a result of their gender identity not matching the sex they were assigned at birth. Not all transgender people experience gender dysphoria. However, for those who do, gender-affirming care (e.g., gender-affirming hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery) has been shown to reduce distress caused by gender incongruence.