National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles

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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]

Contents

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

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References

Further reading