Translation, validation, and cultural adaptation of the index of male genital self-image in Egypt:

Male sexual health predictors during the Covid-19 outbreak: a multicenter study

Background

Pandemic-induced feelings of fear and worry are all psychological implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this study was to see how the COVID-19 pandemic affected male Sexual Health and to look for plausible predictors.

Methods

Married males were asked to fill out an Arabic Sexual Health questionnaire. Before and during the lockdown. Additionally, generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaires.

Results

A multicenter study. The survey was completed by 281 men in total. Only 130 males (47.3%) were satisfied with their Sexual performance before lockdown, compared to 170 males (56.5%) who were not satisfied (P 0.000). Financial issues (P ≤ 0.000), smoking habit prior to lockdown (P ≤ 0.001), spots practice (P ≤ 0.001), smoking during lockdown (P ≤ 0.001), presence of depressive disorder on the PHQ-9 total score (P ≤ 0.001), diagnosis of anxiety on the GAD-7 score (P ≤ 0.001), and presence of ED on the IIEf-5 questionnaire (P ≤ 0.001) were all found to be significant on univariate analysis. On bivariate analysis, financial issues (odds ratio [OR]: 3.56, P ≤ 0.000), presence of anxiety on GAD-7 (OR: 6.40, P ≤ 0.001), PHQ score (OR: 2.50, P ≤ 0.001), and diagnosis of ED on the IIEF-5 scale (OR: 7.50, P ≤ 0.001) were significantly associated with Sexual relationship stress and Sexual Health.

Conclusion

During and after COVID-19 lockdown, the presence of anxiety on the GAD-7 scale, PHQ score, and the diagnosis of ED on the IIEF-5 scale were all independent predictors of Sexual Health.

Psychological and Sexual Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Egypt: Are Women Suffering More?

Introduction

Psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic include pandemic triggered feelings of fear, uncertainty, and anxiety added to the effects of restricting the population's activities in lockdown.

Aim

We aimed to study the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on sexual satisfaction of females and males in Egypt and to evaluate possible predictive factors.

Methods

Married men and females in Egypt were invited to respond to an online questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed medical history, socioeconomic status, sexual performance satisfaction before and during the lockdown in addition to validated Arabic questionnaires for depression, sexual function in males and females, and sexual satisfaction (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Female Sexual Function Index, International Index of Erectile Function-5, Index of Sexual Satisfaction, respectively).

Main outcome measure

The main outcome measures were frequency of depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, and sexual satisfaction in males and females during COVID-19 lockdown.

Results

A total of 479 females and 217 males completed the questionnaire. Sexual satisfaction was significantly higher before (91.2%, 73.5%) than during lockdown (70.5%, 56.2%) in both males and females, respectively. During lockdown, significantly more males (70.5%) reported being satisfied with their sexual performance than females (56.2%) (P < .001). More than half of the male subjects (68.2%) had no erectile dysfunction while 97.3% females scored ≤26.5 on the Female Sexual Function Index scale suggestive of sexual difficulties. Sexual stress was significantly greater in females (70.8%) than males (63.1%). Educational level, occupation, anxiety, and erectile dysfunction were independently associated with sexual stress in males. Being a housewife or unemployed, husband's age >35 years, marriage duration of 5-10 years, anxiety, and female sexual dysfunction were predictors of sexual relation stress in females.

Conclusion

COVID-19 pandemic was associated with lower sexual satisfaction in both genders. Females however suffered more anxiety and depression and thereby greater risk of sexual function difficulties and sexual dissatisfaction. Intervention strategies in order to lessen the suffering of affected individuals particularly after the pandemic are recommended.

Omar SS, Dawood W, Eid N, et al. Psychological and Sexual Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Egypt: Are Women Suffering More. Sex Med 2021;9:100295.