Sexual health is an important yet frequently underrecognized component of comprehensive care for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), with implications for quality of life, psychological well-being, and interpersonal relationships. Although research addressing sexual health in MS has expanded over time, its conceptual and intellectual structures, thematic evolution, and patterns of scientific collaboration remain insufficiently characterized. This single-database bibliometric review aimed to map the global scientific landscape of sexual health research in MS and identify its major research themes, intellectual foundations, and collaboration patterns using bibliometric and science mapping approaches. Bibliographic data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, including the Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, and Emerging Sources Citation Index. The final search was conducted on August 12, 2026, with publications from 2026 excluded to avoid incomplete-year bias. After applying document-type and language restrictions, 679 records were screened for thematic relevance, of which 110 were excluded, resulting in a final dataset of 569 publications published between 1976 and 2025. Bibliometric analyses were conducted primarily using Biblioshiny and included performance analysis, keyword and trend-topic analysis, thematic mapping, co-citation analysis, and author- and country-level collaboration networks. The 569 publications were distributed across 260 scientific sources and involved 2,518 authors. The literature demonstrated an overall annual growth rate of 6.02
This study aims to explore the real-life sexual experiences of young and middle-aged Chinese women undergoing peritoneal dialysis within the socio-cultural context of Confucianism, providing a basis for developing targeted interventions. A phenomenological design was employed, with semi-structured interviews conducted among 15 female peritoneal dialysis patients using an interview guide based on the EX-PLISSIT model; data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method with MAXQDA software, yielding four main themes and eleven sub-themes: Multidimensional Sexual Health Impairment (Reduced Sexual Function, Lower Sexual Self-esteem, and Weakening of the Wife’s Role), Lack of Sexual Awareness (Sexual Knowledge Deviation and Insufficient Information Support), Intimacy Dual-path Differentiation (Negative Coping and Relational Alienation, Positive Coping and Relational Bonding), and Diverse Sexual Health Support Needs (Privacy Protection, Service Accessibility, Professional Integration, and Long-term Support). This study elucidates the multidimensional sexual distress experienced by these women and validates the EX-PLISSIT model’s utility in transforming subjective sexual experiences into actionable intervention targets. Consequently, nurses should incorporate sexual health assessments into routine peritoneal dialysis care. Guided by the EX-PLISSIT framework, they can employ “permission-giving” to navigate cultural taboos, explore contributing factors, and deliver structured, needs-based interventions that enhance intimacy and sexual quality of life.
Human sexuality is a universal aspect of life and requires ongoing education to promote healthy sexual development. Providing sexuality education, particularly to adolescents with developmental cognitive disabilities, can be challenging for parents and educators. Belsky’s model proposes that parenting is shaped by parental characteristics, child characteristics, and contextual sources of support. The study examined correlations among caregiving-system anxiety and avoidance, perceived parental self-efficacy, and mothers’ views of the sexuality and relationships of their adolescents with developmental cognitive disabilities. Participants were 150 mothers aged 34–60 years whose children were aged 12–21 years and had mild-to-moderate developmental cognitive disabilities. Perceived parental self-efficacy was negatively associated with caregiving anxiety (r = −.324, p < .01) and positively associated with overall maternal views (r = .454, p < .01), adolescence-related preparation (r = .513, p < .01), intimacy (r = .472, p < .01), and singlehood (r = .403, p < .01). Caregiving avoidance was negatively associated with overall maternal views (r = −.171, p < .05), adolescence-related preparation (r = −.168, p < .05), and singlehood (r = −.189, p < .05). Caregiving anxiety was negatively associated with views of intimacy (r = −.172, p < .05). These findings may inform parent-focused interventions that address both emotional avoidance and parents’ confidence in discussing sexuality, intimacy, and relationships with their children. Educational counselors can support parents by providing adapted information, guided practice, and coordinated communication between home and school.
This article takes women with disabilities content creators on Chinese short-video platforms as its research subject. Drawing on a combination of in-depth interviews and platform observation, it examines, from an intersectional perspective, how gender, disability, and platform mechanisms jointly shape their experiences of short-video creation. The findings show that, although short-video platforms provide women with disabilities with opportunities for visibility and self-expression, this form of “being seen” is not neutral or open, but rather a form of conditional visibility. On the one hand, these creators are required to demonstrate that they are worthy of visibility through inspirational narratives of “positive energy”; on the other hand, they must sustain visibility by presenting themselves in ways that are gentle, approachable, and aligned with dominant aesthetic norms. Furthermore, the publicness, interactivity, and traffic logic of the platform push this filtered visibility into a structure of looking shaped by the intersection of the gendered gaze and the ableist gaze, turning sexual harassment in comment sections, private messages, and livestream interactions into concrete manifestations of intersectional violence
The consequences of a spinal cord injury fundamentally alter how couples live together, affecting not only the structure of daily life and the division of practical tasks, but also their emotions and attitudes toward each other, and their intimacy, including sexual relations. Support plays a critical role in alleviating additional suffering and, importantly, may be needed in reducing the risk of relationship breakdown and promote rehabilitation for the couple. This study aimed to explore couples’ motivation for participating in a couples-oriented rehabilitation initiative, with a particular emphasis on how support was provided to both partners, their experiences with it and its potential benefits. Using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach three zoom-based focus groups were conducted. One with three individuals with a spinal cord injury, one with the three partners and one with the three couples together. The analysis followed Ricoeur’s theory of interpretation. The injury had significant implications for the couple’s relationship. Five main themes and three sub-themes were identified: (1) Caring for each other, (2) Meeting each other as intimate partners (3) Connecting with others in similar situations, (4) Connecting with oneself through transcendence, and (5) Opening new potential and expanding boundaries. The Partners in Spine Couples Initiative grounded in Active Rehabilitation, appears to offer a framework that opens potential and expands boundaries for couples living with spinal cord injury. This study highlights the clinical relevance of dyadic interventions that integrate relational, experiential, and expressive elements to support both individual partners and the couple in adapting to life after spinal cord injury.
