# Sexual Health and Behavior in a U.S. Probability Sample of Adolescents and Adults

> **NIH NIH R01** · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $678,889

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
Health policies, educational programming, and health-related services require accurate and up-
to-date data on the sexual behaviors, attitudes, and experiences of the population. We propose
to conduct Wave 8 of the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB) in order to
support such public health efforts. Sexual health is an important part of human health. Since
2014, sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates have increased annually. STIs challenge the
health of individuals and newborns, and cost billions of dollars each year. Unintended
pregnancies have decreased overall, though adolescent and young adult women are at greater
risk for unintended pregnancy as are sexual minority women. Among adolescents aged 15-19, 3
of 4 pregnancies are unintended. Sexual health has been conceptualized by the World Health
Organization (WHO) as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to
sexuality; it refers not only to the absence of disease but also to the possibility of pleasurable
and safe sexual experiences that are free of coercion, discrimination, and violence. From
adolescence through old age, people have diverse sexual health needs. These sexual health
needs include choosing when to become sexually active with a partner, preventing unintended
pregnancy, reducing risks of HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI), accessing and using
condoms/contraception, sexual identity development, patient/provider sexual health
conversations, painful sex, vaginal dryness, sexual coercion and assault, sexual function, as
well as the development and maintenance of satisfying relationships. Since 2009, the NSSHB
has served as the nation's only U.S. nationally representative probability survey that is focused
on sexual health, assesses diverse sexual behaviors and attitudes, and samples individuals
from adolescence through advanced age (often ages 14 to 94). We have a unique opportunity
to develop the NSSHB-Wave 8 so as to maximize cross-national comparisons with other
nationally representative probability surveys of sexual health being conducted in a similar time
frame in the U.K., France, and Australia. We aim to: (1) Design and field NSSHB-Wave 8,
surveying 9500+ individuals; (2) Demonstrate the scientific and public health importance of
NSSHB-Wave 8 by updating population-prevalence of sexual health behaviors, establishing the
population-prevalence of understudied sexual behaviors, and examining associations between
certain sexual behaviors and reproductive coercion and sexual coercion; and (3) work closely
with an Advisory Board of sexual and reproductive health scientists, educators, and key leaders
to disseminate findings and to facilitate data availability to other scientists.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10210572
- **Project number:** 1R01HD102535-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Tsung-chieh (Jane) Fu
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $678,889
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10210572

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10210572, Sexual Health and Behavior in a U.S. Probability Sample of Adolescents and Adults (1R01HD102535-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10210572. Licensed CC0.

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