Depressive and Sexual Disorders during the First and Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Young Polish Women

Abstract

We investigated whether long-term social restrictions and COVID-19 exposure have different impacts on the mental and sexual health of Polish women compared to the effects experienced at the beginning of the pandemic. An online survey was conducted among Polish women via Facebook groups. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scores were compared for the first wave (April–May 2020) and the second wave (November 2020 to February 2021) of the pandemic. We enrolled 1644 participants (mean age 25.11 ± 7.09 years) during the first wave and 720 participants (mean age 23.23 ± 5.34 years) during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Significant differences were observed in libido levels and frequency of sexual activity before and during the first and second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (both p < 0.001). The percentage of participants under psychiatric or psychological care increased from 6.5% to 14.44% and those who were anxious about the health conditions of loved ones increased from 57.5% to 65.14%. BDI scores increased significantly from 11 (IQR 5–18) to 12 (IQR 7–20). The change in the FSFI score was not significant (27.01 ± 7.61 vs. 26.38 ± 7.76). The COVID-19 pandemic affected various aspects of human life, including sexual life. The data obtained during the first and the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland showed that female sexual dysfunction did not differ, but depressive symptoms and fear intensified.

Mental Health Risk Factors and Coping Strategies among Students in Asia Pacific during COVID-19 Pandemic—A Scoping Review

“…Various studies carried out this past year have gone on to show that female students and those who were living in rural areas in particular, manifested higher levels of stress and depression as they had a fear of losing out in their academic year [ 3 , 12 ]. A study by Szuster [ 13 ], also highlighted the plight of young women whose depressive symptoms and fear intensified with subsequent lockdowns. Furthermore, the overnight change to online learning platforms coupled with a lack of information technology knowledge amongst non-technical educators also caused frustration among students [ 12 ].…”

Correlations of Long COVID Symptoms and Inflammatory Markers of Complete Blood Count (CBC): A cross-sectional study.

“… 49 Although a study showed that during COVID-19 pandemic female sexual dysfunction did not differ, depressive symptoms and fear intensified. 50 Most data showed that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted mental and sexual health. 49 – 51 They stated that the difference in libido during the COVID-19 lockdown might be not feeling well or less interest in sexual intercourse.…”

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Assessment of Sexual Life—Repeated Cross-Sectional Surveys among Polish Adults in 2017, 2020 and 2021

“…Several papers have been published worldwide in the last two years on the impact of the pandemic on sexual relations, but they have mostly focused on one time point, usually the first months. Only a few national (and, in the light of available knowledge, also foreign) papers already published deal with cross-sectional studies repeated during the pandemic [ 34 ]. There are also a few very unique longitudinal studies [ 5 , 32 ].…”

“…A significant number of the above components of sexual life were analyzed in relation to the pandemic period [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. The contributions came from various countries, including Poland [ 19 , 25 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ], sometimes based on multi-country projects [ 8 , 23 , 35 ].…”