Journal: Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis
Link: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcc5.70059
Publication date: July 2026
Dr. Simona Fourie of Oxford University teamed up with Dr. Neil Nandi and Tina Aswani-Omprakash of SAIA to do a deep dive into intimacy and sexual well-being particularly across myriad ethnic communities living with IBD.
There were 26 participants of South Asian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, Arab and African origin including some of LGBTQIA+ identity with nearly 60% identifying as Muslim or Hindu who participated in the study. In addition to IBD itself being perceived as extremely taboo in these communities, participants frequently described an additional layer of challenges related to sexual well-being, shaped by cultural and societal norms.
As we know, HCPs and patients alike may be hesitant to raise these concerns, which can contribute to psychological distress and broader health inequalities. We need to do better, and SAIA pledges to continue to move the needle on talking about these taboo subjects to shatter the stigma and normalize conversation around sexual health in GI conditions!