The European Sexual Health Alliance (ESHA)

The European Sexual Health Alliance (ESHA) is an umbrella organization for patient support groups across Europe on the topic of sexual health.

Each patient organization is responsible for its own management and funding. Support and help on as well as information about sexual topics are provided via telephone help lines, by email and post. Fact sheets on different sexual problems are available and can be sent to callers who request them.

ESHA’s main objectives are:

• Define strategy for the development of a European network for sufferers’ support

• Develop tools and guidelines for the establishment of a common action plan throughout Europe

• Bring together and support those Associations established in European countries (or elsewhere), which are concerned with the issues of Sexual Dysfunction and its impact on patients and other members of the general public

• Undertake community-based research and surveys into any aspects of Sexual Dysfunction and its impact on individuals and groups and to make available the results of such research studies and information. The main purpose of such research is to identify not only sufferers but also community needs for education, information, support and care. The results of such Pan-European research are extremely valuable for education/prevention programs development, health care policy making, as well as for the development of long-term care models for sufferers using any type of treatment

• To cooperate with pan-European organisations to further the understanding and knowledge of Sexual Dysfunction

• Give the patients’ perspective when presenting the work of ESHA

• Clearly communicate sufferers’ needs and expectations in scientific and public arenas

• Lobbing for the benefit of the sufferers (medical and scientific societies, governmental and community organizations, media and health policy makers)