September is Sexual Health Awareness Month, and it’s a great opportunity to highlight the importance of sexual health as a vital component of a person’s overall well-being. As a medical library, our goal is to provide our patrons—including students, researchers, and clinicians—with access to evidence-based resources that can inform their work and research.
Sexual health is a multifaceted topic, encompassing physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It is crucial to have a professional and informed approach to the topic, which can be achieved through reliable, evidence-based public health resources.
For those interested in research or for your own education, the TMC Library offers access to a wealth of resources through our databases. You can also consult publicly available resources from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and academic institutions that provide comprehensive and unbiased information. We encourage you to use these resources to foster a healthy, informed approach to your own lives and to your professional work.
Resources at The TMC Library
- Castelo-Branco, C., & Anglès Acedo, S. (Eds.). (2024). Medical Disorders and Sexual Health : A Guide for Healthcare Providers . (1st ed. 2024.). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55080-5. Springer Nature Switzerland.
- Mitchell, K. R., Lewis, R., O’Sullivan, L. F., & Fortenberry, J. D. (2021). What is sexual wellbeing and why does it matter for public health? The Lancet. Public Health, 6(8), e608–e613. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55080-5. Springer Nature Switzerland.
- National Academies of Sciences, E., Division, H. and M., Practice, B. on P. H. and P. H., States, C. on P. and C. of S. T. I. in the U., Crowley, J. S., Geller, A. B., & Vermund, S. H. (2021). Sexually Transmitted Infections : Adopting a Sexual Health Paradigm. (1st ed.). National Academies Press.
- Rowland, D. L., & Jannini, E. A. (Eds.). (2020). Cultural Differences and the Practice of Sexual Medicine : A Guide for Sexual Health Practitioners. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36222-5.
- Sandset, T., Engebretsen, E., & Heggen, K. (2021). Sustainable sexual health : analysing the implementation of the SDGs. Routledge.
Sexual Health Awareness Month at DigitalCommons@TMC
Sexual Health Awareness Month at Digital Commons@TMC has many items related to sexual health published in scholarly publications, written by faculty, staff and students of the Texas Medical Center area.
To view some of the research, visit a selection of Sexual Health related works published in the last 3 years. Some of the highlights include:
- Berkman et al. (2024). Risk of Chronic Health Conditions in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers. Cancer. PMID: 38044705
- Caloudas et al. (n.d.). Prevalence of Sexual Desire and Arousal Difficulties Among Women Veterans: A Retrospective Cohort Design. Psychological Services. PMID: 36534427
- Shrader et al. (2025). Investigating Social Network Peer Effects on HIV Care Engagement Using a Fuzzy-Like Matching Approach: Cross-Sectional Secondary Analysis of the N2 Cohort Study. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance. PMID: 40338201
DigitalCommons@TMC is an online repository sponsored by The TMC Library that has more than 38k total items, with more than 2.92 million total downloads and 165+ countries accessing this collection. Some of the other collections in Digital Commons@TMC include Dissertations, Theses and Projects, open access e-journals and library archival materials from John P. McGovern Historical Collections & Research Center. Visit Digital Commons@TMC’s About and Digital Commons@TMC Get Started Guide for more info.
Free Online Resources:
- American Sexual Health Association: What is Sexual Health?
- MedlinePlus: Sexual Health
- Public Health Department: Alameda County Health: Sexual Health and Wellness
- The Defeating Epilepsy Foundation: The Importance of Sexual Wellness
- World Health Organization (WHO): Sexual Health