Sexual Dysfunction in Turkish Women During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Anxiety and Related Factors

Yıl 2022, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 4, 639 - 652, 30.11.2022

Elif Dağlı Nilüfer Topkara

https://doi.org/10.19127/mbsjohs.1167712

Öz

Objective: During the pandemic process, the sexual domain may have been affected in women due to the change in the routine, the limitation of freedom, and the psychological destructiveness of helplessness. Since it is not known how long the pandemic will last, it is necessary to clarify the consequences of the strict control measures on women's sexual satisfaction and experiences. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the relationships between the prevalence of Sexual dysfunction (SDF) in women and anxiety and some other factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.
Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive study consisted of 520 women of reproductive age (18-49) who were sexually active, were married, and volunteered to participate in the study were included in the sample. We reached the women included in the study via the online questionnaire link. Exclusion criteria were being diagnosed with COVID-19, having a chronic or psychiatric illness, being pregnant or puerperal, breastfeeding, and taking medicine that reduces libido during the previous three months.
Results: The mean age of the women was 35.16 ± 5.53 years, 48.3% of them had equal income and expenses, and 77.3% had economic concerns. It was determined that 60.6% of the women had SDF, 55.4% had high state anxiety, and that 67.5% had high trait anxiety. As the state and trait anxiety scores of women increased, the desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction scores of the female sexual function index decreased, while the pain score of the index increased. It was found that the risk for SDF was 4.899 times higher in women who did not have social security, 3.401 times higher in those who were dissatisfied with their marriage, and 2.764 times higher in women with less sexual intercourse due to the pandemic process (OR = 4.899; OR = 3.401; OR = 2.764, respectively).
Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that SDF increased, and the frequency of sexual intercourse decreased compared to the pre-pandemic period due to the fear of COVID-19 infection and the high anxiety level brought in by the process. Women who experience the impact of the pandemic more and more every day are especially at risk for poor mental health outcomes.

Anahtar Kelimeler

COVID-19 pandemic, female sexual dysfunction, anxiety, Turkish women

Kaynakça

• 1- World Health Organization (WHO) (2020). Sexual and reproductive health and research including the Special Programme HRP. Date of access:03.15.2021 Access: https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/about_us/en/
• 2- Ministry of Health. Date of access: 03.15.2021 Access: https://covid19bilgi.saglik.gov.tr/tr/haberler/turkiyedeki-gunluk-covid-19-vaka-sayilari.html
• 3- Xiang YT, Yang Y, Li W, Zhang L, Zhang Q, Cheung T, Ng CH. Timely Mental Health Care for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak is Urgently Needed. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;(7)3:228-229.
• 4- Wheaton MG, Abramowitz JS, Berman NC, Fabricant LE, Olatunji BO. Psychological Predictors of Anxiety in Response to the H1N1 Pandemic. Cog. Therapy and Research. 2012;36(3):210–218.
• 5- Guan W, Ni Z, Hu Y, Liang W, Ou C, He J, et al. Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. N Engl JMed.2020;382(18):1708-1720. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2002032
• 6- Ibarra FP, Mehrad M, Mauro MD, Godoy MFP, Cruz EG, Nilforoushzadeh MA, Russo GI. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Sexual Behavior of the Population the Vision of the East and the West. Int Braz j Urol. 2020;46(1):104-112.
• 7- Jacob L, Smith L, Butler L, Barnett Y, Grabovac I, McDermott D, et al. Challenges in the Practice of Sexual Medicine in the Time of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom. J Sex Med. 2020;17(7):1229-1236.doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.05.001.
• 8- Yuksel B, Ozgor F. Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Female Sexual Behavior. Int. J. Gynaecol. Obstet. 2020;150:98–102.
• 9- Li W, Li G, Xin C, Wang Y, Yang S. Challenges in the Practice of Sexual Medicine in the Time of COVID-19 in China. J Sex Med. 2020;17:1225–1228.
• 10- Arafat SMY, Alradie-Mohamed A, Kar SK, Sharma P, Kabir R. Does COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Sexual Behaviour? A Cross-Sectional, Cross-National Online Survey. Psychiatry Res. 2020;7:289,113050.doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113050.
• 11- Rosen R, Brown C, Heiman J, Leiblum S, Meston C, Shabsigh R, Dagostino R. The Female Sexual Function İndex (FSFI): A Multidimensional Self-Report İnstrument for the Assessment of Female Sexual Function. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy. 2000;26(2):191-208.doi: 10.1080/009262300278597.
• 12- Aygin D, Aslan FE. Adaptation of Female Sexual Function Scale to Turkish. Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Medical Sciences. 2005;25(3):393-399.
• 13- Spielberger CD. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. In I. B. Weiner & W. E. Craighead (Eds.), The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010. https://doi. org/10.1002/9780470479216.corpsy0943
• 14- Oner N, Le-Compte A. Handbook of the Discontinuous State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (2nd Edition). Istanbul: Bogazici University Publications; 1985.
• 15- Karakas-Ugurlu G, Ugurlu M, Caykoylu A. Prevalence of Female Sexual Dysfunction and Associated Demographic Factors in Turkey: A Meta-analysis and Meta-regression Study. International Journal of Sexual Health. 2020;32(4):365-382.
• 16- Omar SS, Dawood W, Eid N, Eldeeb D, Munir A, Arafat W. Psychological and Sexual Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Egypt are Women Suffering More. Sex Med. 2021; 9(1):100-295.doi: 0.1016/j.esxm.2020.100295.
• 17- Fuchs A, Matonog A, Pilarska J, Sieradzka P, Szul M, Czuba B, Drosdzol-Cop A. Settings the Impact of COVID−19 on Female Sexual Health. Int. J. Env. Res. Public Health. 2020;17:19.
• 18- Palha-Fernandes E, Alves P, Lourenço M. Sexual Satisfaction Determinants and Its Relationship with Perfectionism: A Cross-sectional Study in an Academic Community. Sex Rel Ther.2019;1-15. doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2019.1677884
• 19- Micelli E, Cito G, Cocci A, Polloni G, Russo GI, Minervini A, et al. Desire for Parenthood at the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: An Insight into the Italian Situation. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics&Gynecology. 2020;41(3):183-190. doi: 10.1080/0167482X.2020.1759545.
• 20- Karagoz MA, Gul A, Borg C, Erihan IB, Uslu M, Ezer M, Bagcioglu M. Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on Sexuality: a Cross-sectional Study Among Couples in Turkey. Int J Impot Res. 2020;33:815-823. doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-00378-4
• 21- Grabovac I, Smith L, Yang L, Soysal P, Veronese N, Işık AT, et al. The Relationship between Chronic Diseases and Number of Sexual Partners: An Exploratory Analysis. BMJ Sex Reprod Health. 2020;46(2):100-107. doi: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2019-200352.
• 22- Lei L, Huang X, Zhang S, Yang J, Yang L, Xu M. Comparison of Prevalence and Associated Factors of Anxiety and Depression among People Affected by Versus People Unaffected by Quarantine during the COVID-19 Epidemic in Southwestern China. Med Sci Monit. 2020;26:e924609.
• 23- Chew QH, Wei KC, Vasoo S, Chua HC, Sim K. Narrative Synthesis of Psychological and Coping Responses towards Emerging İnfectious Disease Outbreaks in the General Population: Practical Considerations for the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sin Med J. 2020;61:350-356.
• 24- Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S, Greenberg N, Rubin, J. The Psychological İmpact of Quarantine and How to Rreduce it: rapid Review of the Evidence. Lancet. 2020;395:912–920.
• 25- Yilmaz BA, Sonmez Y, Sezik M. Prevalence and Risk Factors for Sexual Dysfunction in Reproductive‐Aged Married Women: A Cross‐Sectional Epidemiological Study. J. Obstet. Gynaecol. Res, 2020;46:507-516.
• 26- Sotude M, Dindar R. Relationship Between Marital Satisfaction, Sexual Satisfaction and Social Security in Couples in Tehran. Q Policing J Kn. Cap.Pol. 2015;8:9-24.
• 27- Foroutan S, Jajid-Milany M. Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction in Volunteers of Divorce Referred to Family Court. Daneshvar Med. 2008;78:39-41.
• 28- Karami J, Shalani B, Hoveyzi N. Relationship Between Sexual Self-Esteem and Sexual Dysfunction with Marital Satisfaction in Nurses Hopitals Kermanshah City. Qom Univ Med Sci J. 2017;11(9):86-93.
• 29- Mohammadzadeh-Moghaddam M, Moradi M, Mirzaii-Najmabadi K, Ramezani M, Shakeri M. Effect of Counseling on the Sexual Satisfaction Level of Women with Sexual Dysfunction Using PLISSIT Model Focused on Dysfunctional Sexual Beliefs. Evi. Based Care. 2019;9(3):49-57.
• 30- Masoomie R, Elsous A, Hussein H, Taghizadeh Z, Baloushah S. Female Sexual Dysfunction among Married Women in the Gaza Strip: an İnternet-Based Survey. Ann Saudi Med. 2019;39(5):319-327.