Sexual Health in the Time of COVID-19
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Women's Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 27293
Special Issue Editors
2. Men’s Health Centre, 53-151 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: sexual health; sexual activity; sexual dysfunction; sexual function after myocardial infarction; cardiac rehabilitation; erectile dysfunction; treatment of sexual dysfunction; epidemiology of sexual dysfunction; andrology; effect of exercise on sexual health
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Stressful events negatively affect all domains of well-being, including sexual functioning, and cause long-term health consequences. Since February 2020, Coronavirus SARS-Cov-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, has been rapidly spreading around the world. The contagiousness of this virus, along with its mutations, successfully penetrated public health measures established to control pandemics, such as mandatory quarantine or isolation, physical and social distancing, and wearing of facemasks. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lifestyles of many people due to the implementation of public health measures to curb its spread, which resulted in stigma of COVID-19 positivity, social isolation, loss of income and earning opportunities, deterred seeking health improvements, and other burdens amplified by the pandemic. In particular, adolescents have missed important opportunities for socializing and dating, which are important in normal sexual health development. Among those who have not been infected by COVID-19, there is evidence of a decrease in sexual satisfaction, increased rates of sexual dysfunction, and reduced libido leading to lower sexual activity during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic time. There is also some evidence of generalized health impairment among individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 (called long haulers syndrome) and erectile dysfunction among some men who have recovered from COVID-19. All these factors increase anxiety, depression, limit health-promoting behaviours, exacerbate existing disorders and lead to stress-related illnesses.
With increasing vaccination, fewer infections and decreasing hospitalizations, public health restrictions are being lifted, and people are getting back to a new normal. Will this new normal lead to hypersexual activities, and an increase in sexually transmitted infections such as HIV? Will individuals become more socially cautious leading to loss of intimacy and even more sexual dysfunction? There is a need for more research on how individuals are coping with the shifting pandemic-related factors, including how they evaluate sexual risks, how they process pandemic related stress, and the impact of these stressors on their sexual health. As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, researchers can observe not only the impact of negative factors on health but they will also have a chance to develop programs that can address sexual health in times of COVID-19 and other future pandemic crises. We, therefore, invite authors to submit work that addresses the topic of sexual health during the COVID-19 pandemic to this Special Issue. Of particular interest are papers that link scientific knowledge with its practical application and improvement of people's quality of life.
Prof. Dr. Dariusz Kałka
Dr. Clemon George
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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