National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles

The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) are a series of surveys of people in the Great Britain regarding their sexual behaviour and patterns, and are among the largest scientific studies of sexual behaviours in the world. ^[1] The rounds of surveys completed to date are Natsal-1 (1990–1991) and Natsal-2 (2000–2001) and Natsal-3 (2010–2012), as well as Natsal-COVID (2020-2021). ^[2] Data collection for Natsal-4 is taking place from September 2022 to December 2023. ^[3] Natsal-4's Principal Co-investigators are Pam Sonnenberg and Cath Mercer, both professors at University College, London. ^[4]

Natsal's findings are widely used in research and policy making, and have influenced public health policy in areas such as: The National Sexual Health & HIV Strategy in England; the Scottish Sexual Health Strategy (2005-) and the Welsh Sexual Health Strategy, The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy (2000-2010), the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP), the national human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme in 2008/9, the statutory provision of personal, social, health and economic education (PHSE) education in schools in 2009, Sexual health campaigns such as "Sex: worth talking about" in 2010, and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on long acting contraception (2006). ^[5]

History

The first Natsal survey was carried out in 1990, in response to the urgent need of understanding sexual practices in the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. ^[6] The Principal Investigator of Natsal-1, Natsal-2 and Natsal-3 was Anne Johnson, a professor at University College, London, ^[7] and co-leader Kaye Wellings, a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. ^[8]

The Natsal-3 survey revealed, among other things, that British people are having sex less often than they did 20 years ago, ^[9] but that same-sex experiences between women were growing more numerous. ^[10]

Key publications

• Mercer, Catherine H.; Clifton, Soazig; Riddell, Julie; Tanton, Clare; Freeman, Lily; Copas, Andrew J.; Dema, Emily; Pérez, Raquel Bosó; Gibbs, Jo; Macdowall, Wendy; Menezes, Dee; Ridge, Mary-Clare; Bonell, Chris; Sonnenberg, Pam; Field, Nigel (2022-11-01). "Impacts of COVID-19 on sexual behaviour in Britain: findings from a large, quasi-representative survey (Natsal-COVID)". Sexually Transmitted Infections. 98 (7): 469–477. doi:10.1136/sextrans-2021-055210. ISSN   1368-4973. PMC   8687784 . PMID   34916335.
• Johnson, Anne M; Mercer, Catherine H; Erens, Bob; Copas, Andrew J; McManus, Sally; Wellings, Kaye; Fenton, Kevin A; Korovessis, Christos; Macdowall, Wendy (2001). "Sexual behaviour in Britain: partnerships, practices, and HIV risk behaviours". The Lancet. 358 (9296): 1835–1842. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(01)06883-0. PMID   11741621. S2CID   37954044.
• Mercer, Catherine H; Tanton, Clare; Prah, Philip; Erens, Bob; Sonnenberg, Pam; Clifton, Soazig; Macdowall, Wendy; Lewis, Ruth; Field, Nigel (2013). "Changes in sexual attitudes and lifestyles in Britain through the life course and over time: findings from the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal)". The Lancet. 382 (9907): 1781–1794. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(13)62035-8. PMC   3899021 . PMID   24286784.
• Wellings, Kaye; Nanchahal, Kiran; Macdowall, Wendy; McManus, Sally; Erens, Bob; Mercer, Catherine H; Johnson, Anne M; Copas, Andrew J; Korovessis, Christos; Fenton, Kevin A; Field, Julia (December 2001). "Sexual behaviour in Britain: early heterosexual experience". The Lancet. 358 (9296): 1843–1850. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(01)06885-4. PMID   11741623. S2CID   35905955.
• Fenton, Kevin A; Korovessis, Christos; Johnson, Anne M; McCadden, Angela; McManus, Sally; Wellings, Kaye; Mercer, Catherine H; Carder, Caroline; Copas, Andrew J; Nanchahal, Kiran; Macdowall, Wendy; Ridgway, Geoff; Field, Julia; Erens, Bob (December 2001). "Sexual behaviour in Britain: reported sexually transmitted infections and prevalent genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection". The Lancet. 358 (9296): 1851–1854. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(01)06886-6. PMID   11741624. S2CID   26108172.

References

1. [https://www.ucl.ac.uk/global-health/national-surveys-sexual-attitudes-and-lifestyles-natsal National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, UCL.
2. [https://www.natsal.ac.uk/natsal-surveys/ Natsal Surveys.
3. Natsal: The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, National Centre for Survey Research.
4. Meet the Natsal team.
5. About Natsal.
6. "National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) | LSHTM". www.lshtm.ac.uk. July 27, 2018.
7. "Survey examines changes in sexual behaviour and attitudes in Britain". www.wellcome.ac.uk. Retrieved 2015-10-14.
8. Lane, Richard (2013-11-30). "Kaye Wellings: pioneering figure in sexual health". The Lancet. 382 (9907): 1773. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62346-6 . ISSN   0140-6736. PMID   24286783. S2CID   8753572.
9. "Cambridge professor's in-depth analysis of sex survey reveals couples' secrets beneath the sheets". Cambridge News. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
10. "How to conduct a sex survey". The Economist. ISSN   0013-0613 . Retrieved 2023-01-26.

Further reading

• Caroline Overy; Lois Reynolds; Tilli Tansey, eds. (2011). History of the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. Wellcome Witnesses to Contemporary Medicine. History of Modern Biomedicine Research Group. ISBN   978-0-902238-74-9. Wikidata   Q29581782.