Sexual Health, Pleasure, Justice, and Well-Being in People With Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases: A Scoping...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Sexual Health Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Sexual health, pleasure, justice, and well-being are vital for overall health but often neglected in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMD) research.
• Recent attention highlights the need to systematically map existing literature in this area.
• Understanding these aspects is crucial for improving the quality of life for individuals with RMD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map the existing evidence on sexual health, pleasure, justice, and well-being in individuals with RMD.
• To explore key themes and identify evidence gaps across multiple dimensions of sexual health.
• To inform future research directions and clinical practices within the RMD field.

Main Methods:

• Adherence to Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodological guidance for scoping reviews.
• Utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).
• Comprehensive literature search across major databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, etc.) and grey literature, followed by narrative synthesis aligned with a public health framework for sexuality.

Main Results:

• The review will synthesize scientific literature concerning sexual health, pleasure, justice, and well-being in the context of RMD.
• It aims to provide a clear understanding of how sexual health is currently addressed in the scientific literature.
• Key themes and significant evidence gaps will be identified.

Conclusions:

• This scoping review will offer a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on sexual health in RMD.
• Findings will guide the development of targeted research and evidence-based clinical interventions.
• Dissemination includes peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and plain language summaries to reach diverse audiences.