Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Mar 17, 2026
Date Accepted: Jul 16, 2026
Individuals’ Perceptions of the Efficacy, Quality, and Safety of Sexual Health Care Accessed via a Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth Platform: A Retrospective Analysis of Data from a Cross-sectional Survey Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Increasingly, individuals are seeking treatment for sexual health concerns through direct-to-consumer (DTC) telehealth platforms, and there is ongoing debate as to whether such platforms can deliver safe and effective care.
Objective:
The objective of the current study was to examine how individuals who sought sexual health treatment through a large national DTC telehealth platform viewed the quality and safety of their care, and how these perceptions differed from individuals who sought other types of treatment through the platform.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective analysis of data gathered from an online survey sent to individuals who accessed treatment through the DTC telehealth platform. Individuals completed the survey between June 30, 2025 and July 3, 2025. It consisted of 22 items that asked respondents about their perceptions of the quality and safety of care they accessed. We used descriptive statistics to summarize individuals’ responses to survey items and Chi-square tests to compare the responses of those who accessed sexual health treatment to those who accessed other types of treatment.
Results:
497 individuals who accessed sexual health treatment and 2,325 who accessed other types of treatment through the platform completed the survey. There were few significant differences between groups. Across items related to their overall experience, the online intake process, and comparisons of their telehealth experiences to prior in-person care experiences, 80% and above of sexual health participants indicated favorable impressions of the quality and safety of care. Of note, sexual health participants were more likely than non-sexual health participants to rate their telehealth experience as more private and discreet than prior in-person experiences, ????2(1, N = 2,822) = 21.8, p < 0.001.
Conclusions:
Individuals who accessed sexual health treatment via a national online telehealth platform had positive perceptions of the overall quality and safety of care. Notably, they rated several aspects of care as being superior to prior in-person experiences, including the privacy and discretion afforded by the telehealth experience. Future research should endeavor to better understand providers’ attitudes towards telehealth and bridge the gap between patient and provider perspectives.
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