There is little evidence about the prevalence of absence of sexual attraction, or the characteristics of people reporting this, often labelled asexuals. We examine this using data from two probability surveys of the British general population, conducted in 1990-1991 and 2000-2001. Interviewers administered face-to-face and self-completion questionnaires to people aged 16-44 years (N = 13,765 in 1990-1991; N = 12,110 in 2000-2001). The proportion that had never experienced sexual attraction was 0.4% (95% CI: 0.3-0.5%) in 2000-2001, with no significant variation by gender or age, versus 0.9% (95% CI: 0.7-1.1%) in 1990-1991; p < 0.0001. Among these 79 respondents in 2000-2001, 28 (40.3% men; 33.9% women) had had sex, 19 (33.5% men; 20.9% women) had child(ren), and 17 (30.1% men; 19.2% women) were married. Three-quarters of asexual men and two-thirds of asexual women considered their frequency of sex 'about right', while 24.7% and 19.4%, respectively, 'always enjoyed having sex'. As well as providing evidence on the distribution of asexuality in Britain, our data suggest that it cannot be assumed that those reporting no sexual attraction are sexually inexperienced or without intimate relationships. We recognise the possibility of social desirability bias given our reliance on self-reported data, but suggest that its effect is not easily predicted regarding absence of sexual attraction.

The free text notes typed by physicians during patient consultations contain valuable information for the study of disease and treatment. These notes are difficult to process by existing natural language analysis tools since they are highly telegraphic (omitting many words), and contain many spelling mistakes, inconsistencies in punctuation, and non-standard word order. To support information extraction and classification tasks over such text, we describe a de-identified corpus of free text notes, a shallow syntactic and named entity annotation scheme for this kind of text, and an approach to training domain specialists with no linguistic background to annotate the text. Finally, we present a statistical chunking system for such clinical text with a stable learning rate and good accuracy, indicating that the manual annotation is consistent and that the annotation scheme is tractable for machine learning.

Irwin (2007) Interactive computer-based interventions for sexual health promotion (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2007 (2). pp. 1-12.

This study explored whether seasonal and/or climatic factors influenced detection of specific genotypes of Pneumocystis jirovecii. Between 1989 and 2001, 155 isolates of P. jirovecii were obtained from patients undergoing bronchoscopic alveolar lavage. For each isolate, the month and climatic conditions were noted. Genotypes of P. jirovecii were distinguished by polymorphisms in the mitochondrial large-subunit rRNA gene. There were monthly and seasonal variations in the frequency of detection of mixed genotypes (p 0.018 and p 0.031, respectively) and genotype 2 (p 0.029 and p 0.086, respectively). There was no association between month/season and genotypes 1, 3 and 4, or between monthly temperature or rainfall and any genotype.

Use of medical data for secondary purposes such as health Background research, audit, and service planning is well established in the UK. However, the governance environment, as well as public opinion and understanding about this work, have lagged behind. We aimed to systematically review the literature on UK and Irish public opinions of medical data use in research, critically analysing such opinions though an established biomedical ethics framework, to draw out potential strategies for future good practice guidance and inform ethical and privacy debates.: We searched three databases using terms such as patient, public, Methods opinion, and electronic health records. Empirical studies were eligible for inclusion if they surveyed healthcare users, patients or the wider public in UK and Ireland and examined attitudes, opinions or beliefs about the use of patient data for medical research. Results were synthesised into broad themes using a Framework Analysis.: Out of 13,492 papers and reports screened, 20 papers or reports Results were eligible. While there was a widespread willingness to share EHRs for research for the common good, this very rarely led to unqualified support. The public expressed two generalised concerns through a variety of hypothetical examples. The first of these concerns related to a party's competence in keeping data secure, while the second was associated with the motivation a party might have to use the data.: The public evaluates trustworthiness of research organisations Conclusions by assessing their competence in data-handling and motivation for accessing the data. Public attitudes around data-sharing exemplified several principles which are also widely accepted in biomedical ethics. This provides a framework for understanding public attitudes, which should be considered in the development in any guidance for regulators and data custodians. We propose four salient questions which data guardians should address when evaluating proposals for the secondary use of data.

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BackgroundSexual health promotion is a major public health challenge; there is huge potential for health promotion via technology such as the Internet.ObjectivesTo determine effects of interactive computer‐based interventions (ICBI) for sexual health promotion, considering cognitive, behavioural, biological and economic outcomes.Search strategyWe searched more than thirty databases for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on ICBI and sexual health, including CENTRAL, DARE, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, British Nursing Index, and PsycINFO. We also searched reference lists of published studies and contacted authors. All databases were searched from start date to November 2007, with no language restriction.Selection criteriaRCTs of interactive computer‐based interventions for sexual health promotion, involving participants of any age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or nationality. 'Interactive' was defined as packages that require contributions from users to produce tailored material and feedback that is personally relevant.Data collection and analysisTwo review authors screened abstracts, applied eligibility and quality criteria and extracted data. Results of RCTs were pooled using a random‐effects model with standardised mean differences (SMDs) for continuous outcomes and odds ratios (ORs) for binary outcomes. We assessed heterogeneity using the I2 statistic. Separate meta‐analyses were conducted by type of comparator: 1) minimal intervention such as usual practice or leaflet, 2) face‐to‐face intervention or 3) a different design of ICBI; and by type of outcome (cognitive, behavioural, biological outcomes).Main resultsWe identified 15 RCTs of ICBI conducted in various settings and populations (3917 participants). Comparing ICBI to 'minimal interventions' such as usual practice, meta‐analyses showed statistically significant effects as follows: moderate effect on sexual health knowledge (SMD 0.72, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.18); small effect on safer sex self‐efficacy (SMD 0.17, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.29); small effect on safer‐sex intentions (SMD 0.16, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.30); and also an effect on sexual behaviour (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.59). Data were insufficient for meta‐analysis of biological outcomes and analysis of cost‐effectiveness.In comparison with face‐to‐face sexual health interventions, meta‐analysis was only possible for sexual health knowledge, showing that ICBI were more effective (SMD 0.36, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.58). Two further trials reported no difference in knowledge between ICBI and face‐to‐face intervention, but data were not available for pooling. There were insufficient data to analyse other types of outcome.No studies measured potential harms (apart from reporting any deterioration in measured outcomes).Authors' conclusionsICBI are effective tools for learning about sexual health, and they also show positive effects on self‐efficacy, intention and sexual behaviour. More research is needed to establish whether ICBI can impact on biological outcomes, to understand how interventions might work, and whether they are cost‐effective.Plain Language SummaryComputer programmes for sexual health promotionSexual health promotion is a major public health challenge. There is huge potential for health promotion via technology such as the Internet, but it is not known whether interventions are effective. An interactive computer‐based intervention provides information, and also offers personalised feedback. We searched databases for studies which were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of computer/Internet‐based interventions which aimed to improve sexual health. We included trials of computer‐based interventions delivered to people of any age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or nationality. The review evaluated 15 RCTs involving 3917 participants. Results showed that computer‐based interventions have a moderate effect in improving people's knowledge about sexual health in comparison to minimal interventions such as ‘usual practice’ or a leaflet. We also found a small effect on safer sex self‐efficacy (a person's belief in their capacity to carry out a specific action), a small effect on safer‐sex intentions, and also an effect on sexual behaviour (such as condom use for sexual intercourse). We found that computer‐based interventions seem better than face‐to‐face interventions at improving sexual health knowledge, but there were insufficient data to analyse other outcomes. No studies measured potential harms (apart from reporting any deterioration in outcomes). Interactive computer‐based interventions for sexual health promotion are feasible in a variety of settings. They are effective tools for learning about sexual health, and they also improve self‐efficacy, intention and sexual behaviour, but more research is needed to establish whether computer‐based interventions can change outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, to understand how interventions might work, and to assess whether they are cost‐effective.

is governor of the Wellcome Trust. Jackie Cassell reports funding from the NIHR HTA programme as principal investigator for the study 'The relative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three contrasting approaches to partner notification for curable sexually transmitted infections: a cluster randomised trial in primary care' (reference number 07/43/01), for which the final report has been published [Cassell JA, Dodds J, Estcourt C, Llewellyn C, Lanza S, Richens J, et al. The relative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three contrasting approaches to partner notification for curable sexually transmitted infections: a cluster randomised trial in primary care. This journal is a member of and subscribes to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (www.publicationethics.org/).Editorial contact: nihredit@southampton.ac.ukThe full PGfAR archive is freely available to view online at www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/pgfar. Print-on-demand copies can be purchased from the report pages of the NIHR Journals Library website: www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk Criteria for inclusion in the Programme Grants for Applied Research journalReports are published in Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) if (1) they have resulted from work for the PGfAR programme, and (2) they are of a sufficiently high scientific quality as assessed by the reviewers and editors. Programme Grants for Applied Research programmeThe Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) programme, part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), was set up in 2006 to produce independent research findings that will have practical application for the benefit of patients and the NHS in the relatively near future. The Programme is managed by the NIHR Central Commissioning Facility (CCF) with strategic input from the Programme Director.The programme is a national response mode funding scheme that aims to provide evidence to improve health outcomes in England through promotion of health, prevention of ill health, and optimal disease management (including safety and quality), with particular emphasis on conditions causing significant disease burden.For more information about the PGfAR programme please visit the website: http://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/programme-grants-forapplied-research.htm This reportThe research reported in this issue of the journal was funded by PGfAR as project number RP-PG-0707-10208. The contractual start date was in February 2009. The final report began editorial review in May 2015 and was accepted for publication in December 2015. As the funder, the PGfAR programme agreed the research questions and study designs in advance with the investigators. The authors have been wholly responsible for all data collection, analysis and interpretation, and for writing up their work. The PGfAR editors and production house have tried to ensure the accuracy of the authors' report and would like to thank the reviewers for their constructive comments on the final report document. However, they do not accept...