Gender difference in impact of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual function

Abstract

There is a paucity of research on the difference between men and women in the impact of mental health on sexual function during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aims to explore sexual function changes and the effects of mental health on sexual function during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data from a self-administered online questionnaire completed by 180 healthy Korean volunteers were analyzed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, women tended to be more vulnerable than men in all subscales of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21), except for the stress subscale (p < 0.001). Regarding sexual function, overall sexual function, including both the total International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) score and total Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score, was lower during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. All subscales of DASS-21 and total DASS-21 scores were negatively correlated with total IIEF-5 and total FSFI score in men and women, respectively. On a multivariate analysis, the anxiety subscale of DASS-21 was an independent risk factor for decreased total IIEF-5 score in men (p < 0.05). Mental health during the pandemic has negatively influenced sexual function in both sexes. Particularly, anxiety was a significant risk factor for decreased erectile function in men during the pandemic.