Changes in Sex Life among People in Taiwan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Risk Perception, General Anxiety, and Demographic Characteristics

Ko, Nai-Ying; Lu, Wei-Hsin; Chen, Yi-Lung; Li, Dian-Jeng; Chang, Yu-Ping; Wu, Chia-Fen; Wang, Peng-Wei; Yen, Cheng-Fang

doi:10.3390/ijerph17165822

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Changes in Sex Life among People in Taiwan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Risk Perception, General Anxiety, and Demographic Characteristics

^1,†

^2,†

^3,4

^5,6

⁷

⁶,

^6,8,*

and

Cheng-Fang Yen

^6,8,*

Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan

Department of Psychiatry, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chia-Yi City 60002, Taiwan

Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan

⁴

Department of Psychology, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan

⁵

Department of Addiction Science, Kaohsiung Municipal Kai-Syuan Psychiatric Hospital, Kaohsiung 80276, Taiwan

⁶

Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan

⁷

School of Nursing, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, NY, NY 14214-3079, USA

⁸

Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

Nai-Ying Ko and Wei-Hsin Lu contributed equally to this work.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(16), 5822; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165822

Received: 24 June 2020 / Revised: 25 July 2020 / Accepted: 7 August 2020 / Published: 11 August 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Promotion for Sexual Health and Prevention of HIV)

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Abstract

This study used data collected from an online survey study on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Taiwan to examine changes in sex life during the pandemic and the factors affecting such changes. In total, 1954 respondents were recruited from a Facebook advertisement. The survey inquired changes in sex life during the pandemic, including satisfaction with the individual’s sex life, frequency of sexual activity, frequency of sex-seeking activity, and frequency of using protection for sex. The associations of change in sex life with risk perception of COVID-19, general anxiety, gender, age, and sexual orientation were also examined. For each aspect of their sex life, 1.4%–13.5% of respondents reported a decrease in frequency or satisfaction, and 1.6%–2.9% reported an increase in frequency or satisfaction. Risk perception of COVID-19 was significantly and negatively associated with frequencies of sexual and sex-seeking activities. Higher general anxiety was significantly and negatively associated with satisfaction of sex life and frequencies of sexual and sex-seeking activities. Sexual minority respondents were more likely to report decreased satisfaction with sex life and frequencies of sexual activity and sex-seeking activities during COVID-19. Health care providers should consider these factors when developing strategies for sexual wellness amid respiratory infection epidemics. View Full-Text

Keywords: COVID-19; sex life; risk perception; anxiety; sexual minority

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

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MDPI and ACS Style

Ko, N.-Y.; Lu, W.-H.; Chen, Y.-L.; Li, D.-J.; Chang, Y.-P.; Wu, C.-F.; Wang, P.-W.; Yen, C.-F. Changes in Sex Life among People in Taiwan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Risk Perception, General Anxiety, and Demographic Characteristics. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 5822. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165822

AMA Style

Ko N-Y, Lu W-H, Chen Y-L, Li D-J, Chang Y-P, Wu C-F, Wang P-W, Yen C-F. Changes in Sex Life among People in Taiwan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Risk Perception, General Anxiety, and Demographic Characteristics. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(16):5822. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165822

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ko, Nai-Ying, Wei-Hsin Lu, Yi-Lung Chen, Dian-Jeng Li, Yu-Ping Chang, Chia-Fen Wu, Peng-Wei Wang, and Cheng-Fang Yen. 2020. "Changes in Sex Life among People in Taiwan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Risk Perception, General Anxiety, and Demographic Characteristics" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 16: 5822. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165822

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Changes in Sex Life among People in Taiwan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Risk Perception, General Anxiety, and Demographic Characteristics

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