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.

Chemsex, or taking psychoactive substances to enhance or extend a sexual experience, is growing in popularity in many parts of the world. Often, the substances used for this purpose are referred to collectively as “chems,” but they include crystal methamphetamine, cathinone (mephedrone, 3MMC, 4MMC), GHB/GBL (gammahydroxubutyrate/gammabutyrolactone), and freebase cocaine (or “crack”).

Historically, the gender binary, or the classification of gender into two distinct, opposite forms (masculine and feminine), was the prevailing system of gender classification. However, not everyone identifies as being exclusively male or female, and not everyone’s gender identity matches the sex that they were assigned at birth.

Peyronie’s disease (PD) is a condition in which fibrous plaques (sections of scar tissue) develop under the skin of the penis, resulting in curved, sometimes painful erections. Other symptoms may include erectile dysfunction (ED) and shortening of the penis. Penile traction therapy (PTT) is a treatment option for PD that is aimed at reducing penile curvature, regaining length, and enhancing girth. PTT involves wearing a penile traction device that stretches the penis straight out or stretches it in the opposite direction of the curve for a specified amount of time each day.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition in which a woman’s body produces an excess of androgens. Androgens are thought of as male hormones, but women have them too, though usually in small amounts. The hormonal imbalance can cause irregular periods, excess facial and body hair, severe acne, cysts in the ovaries, and/or infertility due to anovulation. Anovulation is the medical term to describe the absence of ovulation, meaning that an egg does not release from the ovary during a woman’s menstrual cycle.

A comprehensive patient history can help a health care provider understand a patient’s state of health, assess any health risks that they may be facing, and determine the appropriate preventative health care measures to be taken. Sexual health is an important part of a person’s overall health, but one that is often overlooked during patient health history taking and routine medical visits.