Desire to Avoid Pregnancy scale: clinical considerations and comparison with other questions about pregnancy preferences.

Background: Clinicians and women of reproductive age would benefit from a reliable way to identify who is likely to become pregnant in the next year, in order to direct health advice. The 14-item Desire to Avoid Pregnancy (DAP) scale is predictive of pregnancy; this paper compares it with other ways of assessing pregnancy preferences to shortlist options for clinical implementation.

Methods: A cohort of 994 UK women of reproductive age completed the DAP and other questions about pregnancy preferences, including the Attitude towards Potential Pregnancy Scale (APPS), at baseline and reported on pregnancies quarterly for a year.

Trauma and resilience informed research principles and practice: A framework to improve the inclusion and experience of disadvantaged populations in health and social care research.

Trauma, socio-economic, cultural and structural issues are associated with poor outcomes for most health conditions and may also make research participation difficult and onerous, perpetuating intervention-generated inequalities by generating evidence from those least in need. Trauma-informed and resilience-informed approaches to care may help address these concerns across health and social care research. These approaches take an empowerment-based response to adversity, and are suitable for integration and extension as Trauma and Resilience Informed Research Principles and Practice (TRIRPP) for studies beyond the topics of resilience and trauma.

Mental Well-Being and Sexual Intimacy among Men and Gender Diverse People Who Have Sex with Men during the First UK COVID-19 Lockdown: A Mixed-Methods Study.

This mixed-methods study aimed to explore mental well-being, circumstances and strategies around managing sexual intimacy and risk during the first UK COVID-19 lockdown (Spring 2020) among men and gender diverse people who have sex with men (MGDPSM), commencing while lockdown was in progress. n = 1429 MGDPSM completed the survey and 14 undertook an in-depth interview. Low mental well-being was reported by 49.

Evidence of changing sexual behaviours and clinical attendance patterns, alongside increasing diagnoses of STIs in MSM and TPSM.

Background: Due to rising numbers of STI diagnosis and increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, we explored trends in STI testing frequency and diagnoses, alongside sexual decision making and attitudes concerning condom use and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) at a large urban UK sexual health clinic.

Methods: We examined 66 528 electronic patient records covering 40 321 attendees between 2016 and 2019, 3977 of whom were men who have sex with men or trans persons who have sex with men (MSM/TPSM). We also explored responses from MSM/TPSM attendees sent an electronic questionnaire between November 2018 and 2019 (n=1975) examining behaviours/attitudes towards PrEP.

Targeting sexual health services in primary care: A systematic review of the psychosocial correlates of adverse sexual health outcomes reported in probability surveys of women of reproductive age.

Background: Women using primary care vary in need for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) testing and contraception. Psychosocial correlates of these needs may be useful for targeting services. We undertook a systematic review to identify psychosocial correlates of STI acquisition, unplanned pregnancy (UP), abortion and risky sexual behaviours in general population samples of women of reproductive age.

Sexual health risks and health-seeking behaviours among substance-misusing women.

Aims: To report on a survey of sexual health service needs among substance-misusing women attending a substance misuse service.

Background: Substance-misusing women carry a disproportionate burden of sexual ill health, yet the range and frequency of their sexual health risks, morbidities and service engagement are poorly understood.

Design: A cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of substance-misusing women attending a substance misuse service.

Understanding barriers to sexual health service access among substance-misusing women on the South East coast of England.

Objectives: Evidence suggests substance-misusing women (SMW) experience disproportionate sexual health morbidity and poor uptake of interventions including contraception and cervical screening, yet there has been little investigation of sexual health service access issues for this population.

Methods: Twenty women with problem drug use in Hastings in South East England, UK participated in a one-to-one interview with a researcher to explore experiences and beliefs surrounding access to a range of sexual health service interventions. Transcripts were open-coded and themes were elicited and organised concerning barriers to access.