Examining the correlation between fear of COVID-19, sexual functions, depression, and anxiety in the women who underwent COVID-19

Year 2023, Volume: 40 Issue: 2, 348 - 355, 19.07.2023

Özlem Çınar Özdemir , Betül Yıldırım , Kübra Özonay

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the correlation between fear of COVID-19, sexual functions, depression, and anxiety in women who have undergone COVID-19. Seventy-five volunteer women who have experienced COVID-19 were included in this study. The sociodemographic characteristics of the participants were obtained using a demographic information form. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-Revised), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), and the Global Pelvic Symptom Bother Questionnaire (GPFBQ) were used for assessments. Significant, positive correlations were found between the Fear of COVID-19 Scale scores with the FSFI and GPFBQ scores (p=0.015, p=0.005), and significant, positive, and moderate correlations were found between the FSDS-Revised scores with PHQ-4-Anxiety and Depression, PHQ-4-Total, and GPFBQ scores (p<0.001, p=0.002). The findings of this study demonstrate a correlation between the fear of COVID-19 and sexual function, as well as pelvic floor dysfunction in women who have undergone COVID-19. Moreover, a connection was identified between sexual function and sexual distress, anxiety, and depression, as well as between pelvic floor dysfunctions and anxiety and depression in women affected by COVID-19. Consequently, it is suggested that pelvic floor and sexual functions, along with psycho-social states, may be adversely impacted in women infected with COVID-19.

Keywords

COVID-19, Sexual dysfunction, Depression, Anxiety

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