Shaping the WHO Sexual Health Assessment of Practices and Experiences questionnaire: a descriptive study on the real-world example from Portugal

Sexual health is a major dimension of global health and well-being. Yet, evidence regarding its assessment at a worldwide level is scarce. Most population-based studies are conducted in a limited number of countries from the Global North using specific measures that do not allow for country comparison. The World Health Organization (WHO) led a process to create a global survey called the Sexual Health Assessment of Practices and Experiences (SHAPE) to assess sexual practices and behaviours that impact on health. This article aims to describe the application and feasibility of this questionnaire in an extended real-world context. It presents the results of the implementation process in Portugal, the first country to use it with a nationally representative sample. This descriptive study was conducted between 14th June and 15th October 2023, involving a sample of 2,010 individuals (52% women) living in Portugal, aged 18-95 (mean = 49.6 years). 1,426 participants responded online and 584 by telephone. Overall response rate was 30.9% (79.5% online, 12.4% by telephone) and 94% of responses were valid. The original SHAPE questionnaire took 17.7 min to answer on average (16.6 min online and 20.3 min by telephone). Including module G (assessing sexual problems), average time was 29.2 minutes. The relatively short response time and choice of formats suggest this tool provides a comprehensive picture of sexual health. It is hoped that it will be widely used in different health and research contexts, to enhance the global evidence base for the development of policies that promote sexual health.This article aims to describe the application and feasibility of this questionnaire in an extended real-world context.