Kirstin R Mitchell
Dados Biográficos
| ID | 247479 |
|---|---|
| NOME | Kirstin R Mitchell |
| PRENOMES | Kirstin R |
| SOBRENOME | Mitchell |
| ASSINATURA | MITCHELL K R |
| AFILIAÇÕES | University of Glasgow |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4409-6601 |
| VERIFICADO | Sim |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 52 |
| TOTAL DE CITAÇÕES | 90 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 52 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMEIRO ANO DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2000 |
| ANO MAIS RECENTE DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 6 |
Development and validation of the sexual wellbeing in Adolescence Scale (Adol-SW)
Purpose Sexual development is a core biopsychosocial process in adolescence. Lack of brief measures of sexual wellbeing for this age group limits understanding of the impact of these processes on broader mental health and wellbeing. This study aimed to develop and validate a brief measure of sexual wellbeing for mid-to-late adolescents (aged 14-19), suitable for use in population surveys. Methods Measure development was informed by seven agenda-s…
From Jomec Journal to Ipics
No Abstract
Disabled people faced greater challenges accessing sexual and reproductive health services in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic in Britain
Our study provides evidence that disabled people in Britain were more likely to have difficulty accessing SRH services during COVID-19. However, the extent to which these disparities were created or exacerbated by the pandemic, and whether inequalities persist, is not clear. Our results are relevant for contemporary service design, given that many changes introduced during the pandemic have endured
Healthy ageing in place
Age-friendly communities are designed to support older adults in staying healthy, active, and engaged in society as they age. While the built environment plays an important role in their wellbeing, little is known about what shapes older adults’ views of community age-friendliness. This study explored how mid-to-older aged adults perceive community age-friendliness, and how these perceptions influence ageing in place. Semi-structured interviews (…
Rules of disengagement
Young people often navigate breakups with little or no prior experience. The emotions experienced during breakups are felt privately and individually; yet these emotions are also socially patterned. In this article, we draw on Arlie Hochschild’s concept of feeling rules to explore the emotion norms governing youth breakups; we conceptualise these as the ‘rules of disengagement.’ We conducted five focus groups with 28 LGBT and cisgender heterosexu…
Is a ‘crisis of masculinity’ evident in UK secondary student attitudes towards gender equality, gender stereotypes and sexual harassment
No abstract available
Longitudinal Assessment of Sexual Behavior and Relationship Quality During the First Year of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Britain
While the impact of social restrictions on sexual and romantic life early in the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely studied, little is known about impacts beyond the initial months. We analyzed responses from 2,098 British adults (aged 18-59) taking part in the Natsal-COVID study (Waves 1 and 2). Participants were recruited via a web panel and surveyed twice: four months and one year after the start of the UK's first national lockdown (July 2020 a…
Trends in Masturbation Prevalence and Associated Factors
Previous evidence suggests that masturbation has a complementary function for women and a compensatory function for men. However, in light of changing attitudes toward masturbation, this gendered model of compensation versus complementation may not remain valid. We studied trends in masturbation prevalence over time and identified sociodemographic, sexual life, attitudinal, and relationship factors associated with reporting masturbation. Data wer…
Pornography Use Among Adults in Britain
Pornography use is common but stigmatized. In this study, we present a qualitative analysis of the patterns of, and motivations for, using pornography and how the stigma of using pornography manifests in participants’ accounts. We draw on Meisenbach’s (2010) theory of stigma management communication (SMC) to deepen our understanding of how participants managed potential stigma. Data come from 40 semistructured interviews with a diverse sample of …
Women's Experiences of In-Person Sexual and Reproductive Health Services
Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) care is a fundamental right but sustained underinvestment and high demand for services means accessing SRH care can be challenging. Barriers to access are a cause of health inequalities among women. Globally, novel ways to increase equitable access are being explored. This includes the potential for community pharmacies to provide routine services. This qualitative evidence synthesis aims to explore …
Cross-sectional social network study of adolescent peer group variation in substance use and mental wellbeing
Adolescent health-related behaviours and outcomes are shaped by their peers through various social processes. Research using network data on friendship ties has uncovered evidence for processes such as peer influence and imitation. Much less is known about how the structure of small groups within a network, network communities that represents its meso level, affect individuals. The structure and composition of peer groups could play an important …
Prevention of, and response to, sexual harassment at secondary school
This study highlights the interconnectedness of factors shaping disclosure, reporting and handling of sexual harassment within secondary schools. The map surfaces key challenges for schools and provides a foundation for learning and discussions on where to focus efforts in future
Conceptualizing Sexual Wellbeing
Despite increasing scientific and policy interest in sexual wellbeing, it remains poorly conceptualized. Many studies purporting to measure it instead measure related but distinct concepts, such as sexual satisfaction. This lack of conceptual clarity impedes understanding, measuring, and improving sexual wellbeing. We present qualitative research from multi-stage, mixed-methods work to develop a new measure of sexual wellbeing (Natsal-SW) for the…
Individual, social and area level factors associated with older people's walking
Past engagement in physical activity and walking for pleasure are strong predictors of walking behaviour in older people, underscoring the importance of implementing and sustaining walking interventions across the lifespan to ensure continued engagement in later years and the associated health benefits. However, poor health significantly impedes walking in this demographic, emphasising the need for interventions that offer both physical assistanc…
Factors shaping the timing of later entry into parenthood
This study explores the choices and constraints affecting timing of parenthood among those who became parents in their mid-thirties and early forties and how their fertility decisions were both affected by and negotiated within the interplay of different temporal frameworks. Recent decades have seen a trend towards postponement of parenthood in many countries. Explanations for this delay include structural factors, changing social norms and the i…
Heterosexual Oral and Anal Sex
A peer-led, school-based social network intervention for young people in the UK, promoting sexual health via social media and conversations with friends
ISRCTN97369178
Sexting among British adults
Sexting has generated considerable public and professional interest with concerns centring on young people, and potential harms to mental and sexual health. Little research thus far has explored the practice among adults and none has focused on the cultural norms relating to the emotional experience of sexting across different ages and genders. We conducted 40 semi-structured interviews with a diverse sample of adults aged 18-59 years in Britain …
Balancing risk, intimacy and (non)compliance
Government controls over intimate relationships, imposed to limit the spread of Sars-CoV-2, were unprecedented in modern times. This study draws on data from qualitative interviews with 18 participants in Natsal-COVID, a quasi-representative web-panel survey of the British population ( n = 6,654 people), reporting that they had sex with someone from outside their household in the preceding four weeks; a period in which contact between households …
Sex Surveys in Europe
Sexual expression is fundamental to human existence and an important topic of enquiry in its own right. Understanding sexual behavior is also essential to establish effective sexual health prevention activities (e.g., education), services and policies, and to assess the progress of policies and action plans. Questions on sexual health are rarely included in general health surveys, and therefore dedicated population studies are required. Many coun…
We’re Just Tired”
Studies into decline in sexual activity among women in midlife produce equivocal findings, some implicating hormonal and physiological changes, others psycho-social and environmental factors. Women's perspectives rarely inform interpretation of the data. Associations between sexual satisfaction, activity and function, and health and lifestyle factors were explored using data from 2133 female participants in the third British National Survey of Se…
Development and Validation of a Brief Measure of Sexual Wellbeing for Population Surveys
Sexual wellbeing is an important aspect of population health. Addressing and monitoring it as a distinct issue requires valid measures. Our previous conceptual work identified seven domains of sexual wellbeing: security; respect; self-esteem; resilience; forgiveness; self-determination; and comfort. Here, we describe the development and validation of a measure of sexual wellbeing reflecting these domains. Based on the analysis of 40 semi-structur…
Prevalence and Correlates of Fearing a Partner During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Britain
Annual Review of Sex Research 2022
Annual Review of Sex Research 2022: Editor’s Introduction." The Journal of Sex Research, 59(8), p. 939
Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on social relationships and health
This essay examines key aspects of social relationships that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses explicitly on relational mechanisms of health and brings together theory and emerging evidence on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to make recommendations for future public health policy and recovery. We first provide an overview of the pandemic in the UK context, outlining the nature of the public health response. We then introduc…
Estimating the Prevalence of Sexual Function Problems
Establishing the clinical significance of symptoms of sexual dysfunction is challenging. To address this, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) introduced two new morbidity criteria (duration and symptom severity) to the existing criteria of distress. This study sought to establish the impact of these three criteria on the population prevalence of sexual function problems. The data come from a nati…
Why Do Men Report More Opposite-Sex Sexual Partners Than Women? Analysis of the Gender Discrepancy in a British National Probability Survey
In a closed population and defined time period, the mean number of opposite-sex partners reported by men and women should be equal. However, in all surveys, men report more partners. This inconsistency is pivotal to debate about the reliability of self-reported sexual behavior. We used data from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3), a probability sample survey of the British population, to investigate the extent…
Managing Sexual Difficulties
Biomedical interventions offer effective treatment for only a small proportion of individuals experiencing sexual difficulties. Where treatment fails, individuals have to find ways to cope and adjust. Currently, little is known about how individuals do this. This article presents data from 32 semi-structured interviews with individuals representing a range of sexual function experience. Three broad coping approaches are identified. The first, cha…
Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on social relationships and health
This essay examines key aspects of social relationships that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses explicitly on relational mechanisms of health and brings together theory and emerging evidence on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to make recommendations for future public health policy and recovery. We first provide an overview of the pandemic in the UK context, outlining the nature of the public health response. We then introduc…
Scripting sexual function
The biomedical model assumes universal agreement in what it means to have a functioning sex life. In reality there is significant variation in the criteria that individuals employ in assessing their sex lives. We use a scripting approach to understand the meaning of sexual function from a lay perspective. Based on the accounts of 32 individuals representing a range of sexual function experience, we identified three scripts employed by participant…
Measuring Sexual Function in Community Surveys
Among the many psychometric measures of sexual (dys)function, none is entirely suited to use in community surveys. Faced with the need to include a brief and non-intrusive measure of sexual function in a general population survey, a new measure was developed. Findings from qualitative research with men and women in the community designed to inform the conceptual framework for this measure are presented. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews with …
Balancing rigour and acceptability
Initial Impacts of Covid-19 on Sex Life and Relationship Quality in Steady Relationships in Britain
Intimate relationships are ubiquitous and exert a strong influence on health. Widespread disruption to them may impact wellbeing at a population level. We investigated the extent to which the first COVID-19 lockdown (March 2020) affected steady relationships in Britain. In total, 6,654 participants aged 18-59 years completed a web-panel survey (July-August 2020). Quasi-representativeness was achieved via quota sampling and weighting. We explored …
Cross-sectional social network study of adolescent peer group variation in substance use and mental wellbeing
Adolescent health-related behaviours and outcomes are shaped by their peers through various social processes. Research using network data on friendship ties has uncovered evidence for processes such as peer influence and imitation. Much less is known about how the structure of small groups within a network, network communities that represents its meso level, affect individuals. The structure and composition of peer groups could play an important …
Development and Validation of a Brief Measure of Sexual Wellbeing for Population Surveys
Sexual wellbeing is an important aspect of population health. Addressing and monitoring it as a distinct issue requires valid measures. Our previous conceptual work identified seven domains of sexual wellbeing: security; respect; self-esteem; resilience; forgiveness; self-determination; and comfort. Here, we describe the development and validation of a measure of sexual wellbeing reflecting these domains. Based on the analysis of 40 semi-structur…
Online Sexual Partner Seeking as a Social Practice
Once perceived as a means for those unsuccessful at traditional dating, online dating has become normalized as a way to seek sexual or romantic partners. In 2019, we interviewed 40 British adults on the role of digital technologies in their sexual lives; this paper draws on the accounts of 22 who had used such technologies for seeking partners. We analyzed qualitative accounts of online partner seeking as a social practice, drawing on a sample di…
Is a ‘crisis of masculinity’ evident in UK secondary student attitudes towards gender equality, gender stereotypes and sexual harassment
No abstract available
Conceptualizing Sexual Wellbeing
Despite increasing scientific and policy interest in sexual wellbeing, it remains poorly conceptualized. Many studies purporting to measure it instead measure related but distinct concepts, such as sexual satisfaction. This lack of conceptual clarity impedes understanding, measuring, and improving sexual wellbeing. We present qualitative research from multi-stage, mixed-methods work to develop a new measure of sexual wellbeing (Natsal-SW) for the…
Individual, social and area level factors associated with older people's walking
Past engagement in physical activity and walking for pleasure are strong predictors of walking behaviour in older people, underscoring the importance of implementing and sustaining walking interventions across the lifespan to ensure continued engagement in later years and the associated health benefits. However, poor health significantly impedes walking in this demographic, emphasising the need for interventions that offer both physical assistanc…
Sex Surveys in Europe
Sexual expression is fundamental to human existence and an important topic of enquiry in its own right. Understanding sexual behavior is also essential to establish effective sexual health prevention activities (e.g., education), services and policies, and to assess the progress of policies and action plans. Questions on sexual health are rarely included in general health surveys, and therefore dedicated population studies are required. Many coun…
Young People's Sexual Wellbeing
Sexual wellbeing is an integral part of a person's overall sense of wellbeing. It is closely linked to physical, sexual, and mental health. Despite this, sexual wellbeing remains underexplored, including among young people (aged 16-24). This review aims to gain a greater understanding of young people's experiences of sexual wellbeing. We will include qualitative research on young people's lived experiences related to sexual wellbeing. We will sea…
The Natsal-SF Measure of Sexual Function
The Natsal-SF is a psychometrically validated measure of sexual function for use in community health surveys, derived from 17 questions reflecting three components of sexual function. Scoring requires knowledge of complex statistical modeling and, given the methodological complexities, we assessed the validity of two simplified scoring methods calculated using the factor loadings produced when originally modeling the Natsal-SF items. Method 1 use…
Discomfort, discord and discontinuity as data
In the context of research into sensitive topics, focus groups may not at first seem the method of choice. Personal information may most likely be disclosed when assurances of privacy, confidentiality and a non-condemnatory attitude can be provided. The focus group format guarantees none of these. This paper reports on focus groups carried out in the general context of three different research projects with the common challenge of generating disc…
The role of ambiguity in sexual encounters between young people in England
This paper explores the role of ambiguity in sexual encounters between young people. It is based on a qualitative study of young peoples' communication about sexual matters whilst on a date. Focus groups (4) and semi-structured interviews (n = 29) were conducted with young people (aged 16-29) in three areas of England. The results suggest that ambiguity may serve a useful function in the management of ambivalence during sexual encounters; may pro…
Balancing rigour and acceptability
On Acknowledging Thanks for Performing a Favor
In the reported studies the cost of the favor was manipulated (in terms of effort, resources or time needed to perform the favor) and whether the gender of the person performing the favor was the same or opposite as that for whom the favor was done. In a more general way, these data indicate the importance of considering social knowledge in nonliteral language usage
How can we facilitate reliable reporting in surveys of sexual behaviour? Evidence from qualitative research
Methodological studies examining the veracity of sexual behaviour reports frequently focus on the source of unreliable, inaccurate or inconsistent responses. This paper, instead, explores the means by which respondents might be assisted in providing an accurate account of their sexual experience. We present findings from a survey development study (second Great Britain National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, development phase), which …
Managing Sexual Difficulties
Biomedical interventions offer effective treatment for only a small proportion of individuals experiencing sexual difficulties. Where treatment fails, individuals have to find ways to cope and adjust. Currently, little is known about how individuals do this. This article presents data from 32 semi-structured interviews with individuals representing a range of sexual function experience. Three broad coping approaches are identified. The first, cha…
Measuring Sexual Function in Community Surveys
Among the many psychometric measures of sexual (dys)function, none is entirely suited to use in community surveys. Faced with the need to include a brief and non-intrusive measure of sexual function in a general population survey, a new measure was developed. Findings from qualitative research with men and women in the community designed to inform the conceptual framework for this measure are presented. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews with …
Scripting sexual function
The biomedical model assumes universal agreement in what it means to have a functioning sex life. In reality there is significant variation in the criteria that individuals employ in assessing their sex lives. We use a scripting approach to understand the meaning of sexual function from a lay perspective. Based on the accounts of 32 individuals representing a range of sexual function experience, we identified three scripts employed by participant…
Joining and leaving sex work
Although sex work can bring significant economic benefit there are serious downsides, not least vulnerability to adverse sexual health outcomes. Focus-groups discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with 70 female sex workers to explore the context in which they started sex work, their motivations to leave, and their experiences of trying to leave. The pathway to becoming a sex worker was underscored by poverty, with disruptive events l…
Sexual function in Britain
BACKGROUND: Despite its importance to sexual health and wellbeing, sexual function is given little attention in sexual health policy. Population-based studies are needed to understand sexual function across the life course. METHODS: We undertook a probability sample survey (the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles [Natsal-3]) of 15,162 individuals aged 16-74 years who lived in Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales). Interviews…
Antiretroviral therapy drug adherence in Rwanda
Rwanda has achieved high enrollment into antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs but data on adherence after enrollment are not routinely collected. We used a mixed-methods approach (standardized questionnaires, pill counts, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews) to determine levels of and barriers to ART adherence from the perspective of both patients and healthcare workers (HCW). Data were available from 213 patients throughout the fir…
The Natsal-SF Measure of Sexual Function
The Natsal-SF is a psychometrically validated measure of sexual function for use in community health surveys, derived from 17 questions reflecting three components of sexual function. Scoring requires knowledge of complex statistical modeling and, given the methodological complexities, we assessed the validity of two simplified scoring methods calculated using the factor loadings produced when originally modeling the Natsal-SF items. Method 1 use…
Estimating the Prevalence of Sexual Function Problems
Establishing the clinical significance of symptoms of sexual dysfunction is challenging. To address this, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) introduced two new morbidity criteria (duration and symptom severity) to the existing criteria of distress. This study sought to establish the impact of these three criteria on the population prevalence of sexual function problems. The data come from a nati…
Linkage to HIV care before and after the introduction of provider-initiated testing and counselling in six Rwandan health facilities
HIV testing and counselling forms the gateway to the HIV care and treatment continuum. Therefore, the World Health Organization recommends provider-initiated testing and counselling (PITC) in countries with a generalized HIV epidemic. Few studies have investigated linkage-to-HIV-care among out-patients after PITC. Our objective was to study timely linkage-to-HIV-care in six Rwandan health facilities (HFs) before and after the introduction of PITC…
Sexual identity, attraction and behaviour in Britain
BACKGROUND: Sexual orientation encompasses three dimensions: sexual identity, attraction and behaviour. There is increasing demand for data on sexual orientation to meet equality legislation, monitor potential inequalities and address public health needs. We present estimates of all three dimensions and their overlap in British men and women, and consider the implications for health services, research and the development and evaluation of public …
Community health volunteers could help improve access to and use of essential health services by communities in LMICs
A number of primary studies and systematic reviews focused on the contribution of community health workers (CHWs) in the delivery of essential health services. In many countries, a cadre of informal health workers also provide services on a volunteer basis [community health volunteers (CHV)], but there has been no synthesis of studies investigating their role and potential contribution across a range of health conditions; most existing studies ar…
Why Do Men Report More Opposite-Sex Sexual Partners Than Women? Analysis of the Gender Discrepancy in a British National Probability Survey
In a closed population and defined time period, the mean number of opposite-sex partners reported by men and women should be equal. However, in all surveys, men report more partners. This inconsistency is pivotal to debate about the reliability of self-reported sexual behavior. We used data from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3), a probability sample survey of the British population, to investigate the extent…
Help-Seeking for Sexual Difficulties and the Potential Role of Interactive Digital Interventions
Sexual difficulties are common and can negatively impact health and well-being. A wide range of support is available, but there are multiple barriers to accessing help. Interactive digital interventions (IDIs) for sexual difficulties have the potential to provide a convenient, wide-reaching, and cost-effective source of support, but little is known about who might use them. We explored the potential reach of IDIs by assessing the prevalence of he…
Association of HIV status with sexual function in women aged 45–60 in England
Increasing numbers of women living with HIV are reaching their midlife. We explore the association of HIV status with sexual function (SF) in women aged 45–60 using two national cross-sectional surveys: the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (“Natsal-3”) and “PRIME”, a survey of women living with HIV attending HIV clinics across England. Both studies asked the same questions about SF that take account not only sexual…
Latent class analysis of sexual health markers among men and women participating in a British probability sample survey
A greater prevalence and diversity of poor sexual health appears to exist among women than men in Britain, with more consistent effects on women's subjective sexual well-being. Shared health and lifestyle characteristics of higher-risk groups suggest widespread benefits of upstream interventions. Several groups could benefit from tailored interventions: men and women who underestimate their STI/HIV risk exposure, women distressed by low interest …
What is sexual wellbeing and why does it matter for public health?
Sexual health has provided a guiding framework for addressing sexuality in public health for several decades. Although the WHO definition of sexual health is revolutionary in acknowledging positive sexuality, public health approaches remain focused on risk and adverse outcomes. The long-standing conflation of sexual health and sexual wellbeing has affected our ability to address everyday sexual issues. This Viewpoint provides a way forward to res…
How does the sexual, physical and mental health of young adults not in education, employment or training (Neet) compare to workers and students
Harmful health behaviours (men) and poor health outcomes (women) clustered more in those who are NEET. This points to a possible syndemic effect of NEET status on general ill health, especially for women. Our paper is novel in highlighting that elevated risk pertains to sexual as well as mental and physical health
The Sexual Function Evaluation Questionnaire (SFEQ) to Evaluate Effectiveness of Treatment for Sexual Difficulties
Progress toward establishing the effectiveness of biopsychosocial treatment for patients with sexual problems is limited by the lack of brief measurement tools assessing change across various domains of the treatment model. We developed and psychometrically validated a new clinical evaluation tool, the Sexual Function Evaluation Questionnaire (SFEQ) to meet this gap. The SFEQ combines into a single scale the best performing items from two instrum…
Salivary Testosterone and Sexual Function and Behavior in Men and Women
Using data from the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) we examined associations between salivary testosterone (Sal-T) and sexual function and behavior. Single morning saliva samples were self-collected from a subsample of participants aged 18-74 years and analyzed using mass spectrometry. 1,599 men and 2,123 women were included in the analysis (40.6% of those invited to provide a sample). We adjusted for c…
Online Sexual Partner Seeking as a Social Practice
Once perceived as a means for those unsuccessful at traditional dating, online dating has become normalized as a way to seek sexual or romantic partners. In 2019, we interviewed 40 British adults on the role of digital technologies in their sexual lives; this paper draws on the accounts of 22 who had used such technologies for seeking partners. We analyzed qualitative accounts of online partner seeking as a social practice, drawing on a sample di…
Psychology (36 obras) · Medicine (28 obras) · Sociology (24 obras) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (21 obras) · Population (21 obras) · Social Psychology (19 obras) · Demography (15 obras) · Reproductive health (15 obras) · Social Psychology (14 obras) · Qualitative research (12 obras)