Understanding Women's Sexual Health in Relationships

Assessing Differential Dyadic Mechanisms of Women’s Sexual Functioning

NIH-funded research Emory University · NIH-11195531

This project aims to better understand how sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction are experienced by Black and White women and their partners.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionEmory University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Atlanta, United States)
Project IDNIH-11195531 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

We want to learn more about how women experience sexual function, including desire, arousal, orgasm, pain, pleasure, and overall satisfaction, and how these experiences might lead to distress. This work will explore how relationship dynamics play a role in sexual health for both Black and White women. We will gather insights through interviews and focus groups with women and their romantic partners to understand their lived experiences and key moments in their relationships that influence sexual well-being. The goal is to identify the best ways to talk about and address sexual health concerns.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are Black and White women who experience sexual function concerns, along with their romantic partners.

Not a fit: Patients not experiencing sexual function concerns or those outside the specific demographic groups being studied may not directly benefit from this particular research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a better understanding of female sexual dysfunction and help develop more effective and inclusive ways to support women's sexual health.

How similar studies have performed: While previous studies have looked at female sexual function, this project uses an innovative method to specifically explore relationship dynamics and includes an understudied demographic of Black women.

Where this research is happening

Atlanta, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions DiseaseDisorder
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.