The Sexual Function, Desire, and Satisfaction of Couples during the Outbreak of COVID-19 in Qazvin

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the lives of the community. The resulting social constraints and the physical and psychological consequences are also expected to affect sexual health. The present study aims to determine the status of sexual function, desire, and satisfaction of couples during the outbreak of COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive online cross-sectional study on 400 married individuals living in Qazvin, Iran, from October 15 to November 12, 2020. The multi-stage random cluster method is used for sampling. The following questionnaires have been used for data collection: Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Rosen male sexual function, Larson’s sexual satisfaction, and Hurlbert Index of Sexual Desire (HISD). The questionnaires were sent to participants through online messengers. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS software (v25). Results: The findings show that only 19.20% of study participants had sex three or more times a week. Most of the participating women (56.90%) had sexual dysfunction, while most men (64.30%) had proper sexual function. Also, the majority of participants had moderate sexual desire (46%) and high sexual satisfaction. The primary predictors of sexual dysfunction in men and women during the outbreak of COVID-19 were “employment in health centers” (B = -9.34, p = 0.007) and “spouse working in health centers” (B = -6.16, p = 0.007), respectively. Conclusions: The psychological burdens of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting measures, such as prevention protocols, affect couples’ sexual relations. Therefore, interventions are necessary to improve the quality and health of the sexual life of couples.