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Table 1 Characteristics of included studies

From: Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual functioning and activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

First author

Year

Country

Data collection method

Instrument

Number of participants

Age

Main finding

Li

2020

China

Online survey

Self-management surveys via social media platforms

459 (270 men and 189 women)

15–45 Years

- 44% decrease in the number of sexual partners

− 37% of participants reported a decrease in sexual frequency.

-Rapid reduction in risky sexual behavior in individuals with risky sexual experiences

− 25% reduction in sexual desire

- Increased sexual desire in 18% of men and 8% of women

- decrease in the frequency of sexual activities in 36% of married men and 28% of married women

- reduction in sexual satisfaction in 32% of men and 39% of women

Yuksel

2020

Turkey

Online survey

FSFI

58 Women

27.6 ± 4.4

- Increased average frequency of sexual intercourse (2.4 vs 1.9, P = 0.001).

Participants had significantly better FSFI scores before the pandemic compared with scores during the pandemic (20.52 vs 17.56, P = 0.001).

Fang

2020

China

Online survey

IIEF-5, PEDT

251 Men

28 (24–35)

−8.4% reported a deteriorated erectile function, 8.5% reported a decrease in ejaculation control

- Decreased 31.9% IIEF-5 scores and 17.9% increased PEDT scores

- Decreased frequency of sexual life

- No changes in their erectile function

Samir Omar

2021

Egypt

Online survey

IIEF-5, FSFI

696 (479 females and 217 males)

25–35

- Higher sexual satisfaction before lockdown

−70.5% males and 56.2% females satisfied with their sexual performance

−68.2% male no erectile dysfunction

−97.3% females scored 26.5 on the FSFI

Jacob

2020

The United Kingdom

Online survey

Self-made questionnaire

868 (men and women)

25–34

−39.9% of the persons reported sexual activity at least once per week.

- prevalence of sexual activity was lower than 40%.

- sexual activities higher in men than in women

Mahanty

2020

India

Online survey

Self-made questionnaire

262(men and women)

NA

-Frequency of sexual activities higher in women than man.

- In women lower frequency of watching porn

Ballester-Arnal

2020

Spain

Online survey

Self-made questionnaire

1448 (471 men and 977 women)

18–60

−37.9% reported worsening of their sexual life

− 35.9% stated that they had a higher sexual desire during confinement, 34.9% had a lower desire and 29.1% unchanged.

- Men report higher traditional masturbation and online sexual activity than women

Cem Bulut

2020

Turkey

Online survey

IES-R, IIEF-5

359 men

NA

-Decreased sexual function in healthcare professionals.

Baran

2020

Turkey

Online survey

IIEF-5

536 men

38.6 ± 10.3

- Decrease in sexual desire in 25% of the participants

Kaya

2020

Turkey

Telephone interview

FSFI

15 women

33.3 ± 5.6

- Decreased frequency of sexual intercourse and sexual satisfaction

Fuchs

2020

Poland

Online survey

FSFI

764 women

25.1 ± 4.3

- Decreased frequency of sexual intercourse

−3.2% women feared that COVID-19 could be transmitted during sexual activity

Yasir Arafat

2020

Bangladesh, India & Nepal)

Online survey

Self-made questionnaire

120 (93 men, 26 women and 1 person, not to say)

35.42 ± 5.73

−76.7% of respondents had sexual intercourse with their spouse 1 to 5 times a week before COVID-19

−45% of the respondents said that the COVID-19 had impact on their sexual activity.

− 72.5% of respondents reported after COVID-19, to have sexual intercourse 1 to 5 times a week.

Schiavi

2020

Italy

E-mail

FSFI, FSDS

89 women

39 (28–50)

-Sexual intercourses decreased significantly from 6.3 to 2.3

Li

2020

China

Social media

WeChat or Weibo

967 (541 men and 426 women)

26.6 ± 4.86

−22% reported a decrease in sexual desire

- 41% experienced a decrease in the sexual intercourse frequency

- 30% reported an increase in the frequency of masturbation

−10% reported a decrease in risky sexual behavior

Feng

2020

China

Online survey

Self-made questionnaire

284 (134 men and 150 women)

18–44

−17.6% felt the number of sexual partners has reduced.

−43.3% reported decreased sexual frequency and 44 reported an increase with those before the COVID-19.

- 25.0% of the participants experienced reduction in sexual desire, and 19.0% experienced an increase.

−21.5% suggested that sexual satisfaction has reduced.

− 43.3% reported a decrease in sexual frequency.

Luetke

2020

USA

Online survey

Self-made questionnaire

2261 (1119 men, 1142 women)

NA

- Decreased frequency of sexual intercourse

-Decreased solo masturbation

-Decreased partnered masturbation

Karagöz

2020

Turkey

Online survey

IIEF-5, FSFI

245 volunteers (148 men and 97 women)

35.9 ± 6.9

-Increase in solitary sexual activity (masturbation or watching sexual

content videos

- Decreased frequency of sexual activities

-Decreased sexual satisfaction levels

De Rose

2021

Italy

Online survey

IIEF-5, FSFI

544 (260 men, 284 women)

31

−65.3% reported a decreased sexual desire, in health care workers it waas lower than in non- Health care Workers

- 91.2% reported a decrease in Satisfaction sexual, in health care workers this was lower than in non- Health care Workers

Coombe

2020

Australia

Online survey

Online survey

920 (247 men, 673 women)

We excluded men who have sex with men and women who have sex with women (40 participants)

NA

- Sex activities in 2019 were higher than during lockdown

-Increase in using sex toys

Cocci

2020

Italy

Online survey

Self-made questionnaire

1515 men and women

21

- 15.91% no sexual desire and 4.22% less sexual desire than before COVID-19

- 60.79% see porn movies during the COVID-19

- 53.53% no sexual satisfaction

Karsiyakali

2020

Turkey

Online survey

Self-made questionnaire, FSFI, IIEF-5

1356 (671 men and 685 women)

33.16 ± 8.31

-Decrease in the mean number of sexual activity from 1.86 ± 1.67 to 1.35 ± 2.04 after COVID-

19

-Increase in masturbation frequency from 1.25 ± 1.63 per week to 1.57 ± 2.11

−31.5% participants reported reduction in the number of weekly sexual

Intercourses

  1. FSFI: Female Sexual Function Index, IIEF-5: International Index of Erectile Function-5 items scores, PEDT: Premature ejaculation diagnostic tool scores, IES-R: Impact of Event Scale-Revised, NA: Not applicable