Comprehensive Final Exam Review: Human Sexuality and Sexual Health

Core Definitions and Principles of Sexual Health

Sexual health is officially defined as a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction, or infirmity. Achieving and maintaining sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach toward sexuality and sexual relationships. This include the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences that are entirely free of coercion, discrimination, and violence. In terms of sexual satisfaction, research indicates that higher levels of satisfaction and pleasure are found within the context of marriage than in singlehood or extramarital relationships. Furthermore, there is a statistical correlation between education and sexual behavior; specifically, the more educated an individual is, the more likely that person is to engage in masturbation.

Universal Characteristics of Sexual Attractiveness

In a landmark cross-cultural survey, anthropologists Clelland Ford and Frank Beach sought to identify attributes that transcend cultural boundaries regarding sexual appeal. They discovered that there appear to be only two characteristics that women and men universally consider important in terms of sexual attractiveness: youthfulness and good health. Good health is regarded as a universal characteristic of sexual attractiveness across human populations.

Sexual Dysfunction and the DSM-V-TR

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ($5^{\text{th}}$ Edition, Text Revision), or DSM-V-TR, identifies sexual dysfunction as a disturbance in desire and changes characterizing the sexual response cycle that cause marked distress and interpersonal difficulty. A wide variety of specific disorders fall under this classification, including Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, which is primarily rooted in psychological distress and interpersonal difficulties. Other categorized dysfunctions include Hyperactive Sexual Desire, Sexual Aversion Disorder, Sexual Arousal Disorders, and Orgasmic Disorders. For women, the number one reason cited for difficulty achieving orgasm is a lack of experience with self-touch. Additional concerns mentioned in the context of sexual response and distress include abstinence, the use of anabolic steroids (synthetic versions of the hormone testosterone used by bodybuilders to enhance strength and bulk), and technical terms like spectatoring, which refers to self-monitoring one's own sexual performance rather than experiencing it.

Physiological and Anatomical Conditions

Several specific medical conditions can impact sexual function and health. Priapism is defined as a prolonged and painful erection that occurs when blood is unable to drain from the penis. Peyronie’s disease is a condition where calcium deposits and tough fibrous tissue develop in the corpora cavernosa within the penis, often causing curvature. Vaginismus involves the involuntary contraction of pelvic floor muscles, which can make penetration painful or impossible. Dyspareunia is a general term for pain during intercourse, while anodyspareunia specifically refers to pain occurring during anal intercourse. Additionally, Toxic Shock Syndrome ($\text{TSS}$) is a serious condition related to sexual health and hygiene that students must be aware of for the final exam occurring on Weds. $4/29$ at $6:00\,\text{pm}$.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Diseases (STDs)

A sexually transmitted disease ($\text{STD}$), also known as a sexually transmitted infection ($\text{STI}$) or venereal disease ($\text{VD}$), is an illness that carries a significant probability of transmission between humans or animals via sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. A critical statistic for public health is that $80\%$ of people who have an $\text{STD/STI}$ experience no noticeable symptoms. These infections are generally categorized as either bacterial or viral. The most common bacterial $\text{STI}$ in the United States is Chlamydia. Other bacterial infections include Gonorrhea (which requires specific medical treatment) and Syphilis. The most common $\text{STI}$ among young, sexually active people overall is also a key point of study. Ectoparasitic infections, such as pubic lice (commonly known as crabs), are also classified under sexually transmitted concerns.

Viral STIs and Hepatitis Variants

There are four principal viral STIs: Human Immunodeficiency Virus ($\text{HIV}$), Genital Human Papillomavirus ($\text{HPV}$), Genital Herpes ($\text{HSV}$), and Hepatitis. It is important to note that there is currently no cure for Herpes, though medications are available to keep the virus in check. Hepatitis is divided into three main types based on transmission: Hepatitis A is transmitted primarily through oral contact with contaminated food or water or through sexual contact, especially oral-anal sex; Hepatitis B is spread through sexual contact via blood, semen, saliva, vaginal secretions, and urine; and Hepatitis C is a common virus passed on primarily through contact with infected blood.

Sexual Variation and Paraphilic Disorders

Sexual variation refers to behaviors that are not statistically typical of American sexual behaviors or that occur in addition to the mainstream expression of sexuality. When these behaviors become a mental disorder, they are termed Paraphilias. A paraphilia is characterized by recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors lasting at least $6\,\text{months}$ and involving nonhuman objects, the suffering or humiliation of oneself or one’s partner, or children and other nonconsenting people. Paraphilic behaviors tend to be compulsive, longstanding, and distressing. Specific types include Fetishism (sexual attraction to objects as sexual symbols), Partialism (exclusive attraction to specific body parts), Frotteurism (rubbing against a nonconsenting person), and Autoerotic Asphyxia. The latter, also known as hypoxphilia, breath play, or sexual asphyxia, links strangulation with masturbation as participants seek to heighten arousal by cutting off the oxygen supply to the brain. Other variations include Klismaphilia (pleasure from enemas), Urophilia (contact with urine), and Coprophilia (contact with feces). In the context of Sadism and Masochism ($\text{S\&M}$), the critical element is power rather than pain.

Gendered Terminology and Societal Bias

Historical and moralistic terms often color the scientific understanding of sexuality. Nymphomania is a term for "abnormal or excessive" sexual desire in a woman, often applied to sexually active single women; however, the term is frequently defined moralistically rather than scientifically. Satyriasis is the corresponding term for "abnormal" or "uncontrollable" sexual desire in men, though it is less commonly used. On a societal level, Heterosexual Bias describes the tendency to see the world in heterosexual terms while ignoring or devaluing homosexuality. Additionally, sexual harassment is defined as the abuse of power for sexual ends or the creation of a hostile environment. A hostile environment occurs when someone acts in sexual ways that interfere with a person’s performance at school or in the workplace.

Development and Eating Disorders

Sexual response begins surprisingly early, with bodily responses occurring in utero; male fetuses can have erections, and female fetuses show vaginal lubrication and genital swelling. In terms of general health related to body image, eating disorders are driven by complex, interrelated causes including genetic predisposition, environmental triggers, and personal experience. Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by the relentless pursuit of excessive thinness. Bulimia involves uncontrolled, often secret, binge eating followed by purging through fasting, excessive exercise, dieting, or the use of laxatives and diuretics. Binge Eating Disorder is similar to bulimia in the consumption of large amounts of food, but it is distinguished by the absence of purging, excessive exercise, or fasting.