Sexual health and challenges among 15-89-year-old Danes with and without severe visual impairment: Baseline findings in a nationally representative cohort study

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists on the sexual health of individuals with severe visual impairment. OBJECTIVE: To assess a broad range of sexual health indicators among 15-89-year-old Danes with severe visual impairment. METHODS: Baseline data were sourced from a nationally representative cohort study on sexual health in the Danish population. Participants reporting (N = 631) and not reporting (N = 60,482) severe visual impairment were compared. Binary and polytomous logistic regression analyses provided demographically weighted, confounder-adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between visual impairment and sexual health outcomes. RESULTS: Several disparities emerged. Men with visual impairment were less likely to be sexually experienced (aOR: 0.52; CI: 0.30-0.91), to have been sexually active in the past year (aOR: 0.72; CI: 0.51-0.99), to rate their current sex life as good/very good (aOR: 0.74; CI: 0.55-0.99), and to have masturbated in the past year (aOR: 0.74; CI: 0.55-0.99). They were more likely to have had unsafe sex in the past year (aOR: 1.61; CI: 1.13-2.31) and to have experienced sexual assault (aOR: 2.34; CI: 1.17-4.72). Women with visual impairment were more likely to report sexual victimization (aOR: 1.73; CI: 1.23-2.44), same-sex sexual experiences (aOR: 1.83; CI: 1.25-2.68), and identifying as non-heterosexual (aOR: 1.79; CI: 1.24-2.58). CONCLUSIONS: The study underscores significant sexual health challenges among individuals with severe visual impairment, notably victimization (both genders) and unsafe sex (men). Additionally, higher rates of same-sex sexual experiences and non-heterosexual identities were observed among visually impaired women.