There are two new studies that show there have been changes in sexual behavior since the coronavirus pandemic caused many countries to enter into lockdown mode. This sudden change in everyday life has impacted people’s sex lives.
An online study conducted in China included 459 individuals. This study found that one in four participants experienced a loss of interest in sex due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, 18 percent of men and eight percent of women have experienced an increase in sexual desire.
Thirty-seven percent of the study’s participants reported a decrease in sexual frequency. Thirty-two percent of men and 39 percent of women have experienced a reduction in sexual satisfaction.
Researchers state, “In general, at the height of the COVID-19 epidemic, we found that both sexual activities and sexual satisfaction of young men and women decreased. Low sexual desire and unsatisfying partner relationships were significant factors affecting sexual activities, which is in agreement with previous studies.”
“In addition, it is undeniable that strict physical restrictions have directly impacted the possibility of having new sexual partners and risky sexual behaviors. However, in the supplementary question, 32% of men and 18% of women indicated that they were inclined to increase the number of sexual partners or risky sexual behaviors once the epidemic ended.”
In another online survey, 120 married couples from Bangladesh, Nepal, and India were interviewed. In this study, 45 percent of the participants stated that the COVID-19 lockdown has disrupted their sex lives.
Before the lockdown, most of the participants stated they had sex with their spouse one to five times a week. This is mostly unchanged since the lockdown.
A little over three percent of the participants stated that their sexual activity increased from one to five times a week to more than five times a week after being locked down. Researchers believe this could be a result of “seeking intimacy and reassurance, or simply having more time to spend with their partner.”
Fifty percent of the participants reported that the lockdown positively affected their emotional bond with their spouse, and 47 percent said there were no changes. Three percent said the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected their emotional bond with their spouse.
According to researchers, there are a variety of factors that could result in alterations in sexual activity. These factors include increased time spent together, little opportunity for recreation, less work burden, less social or family obligations, there is also more chance for interpersonal conflicts, stress, lack of privacy, and medical issues.
By Jeanette Vietti
Sources:
PsyPost: New psychology studies provide insight into changes in sexual behavior amid the coronavirus pandemic
Kinsy Institute: COVID-19 Research
Image Courtesy of Ann Larie Valentine’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License