The effect of COVID-19 epidemic on the sexual function of healthcare professionals

Bulut E. C., Ertaş K., Bulut D., Koparal M. Y., Çetin S.

ANDROLOGIA, cilt.53, sa.3, 2021 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 53 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2021
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1111/and.13971
  • Dergi Adı: ANDROLOGIA
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, Gender Studies Database, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Coronavirus, COVID-19, erectile dysfunction, healthcare professional, post-traumatic stress, POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER, ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION, PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT, INTERNATIONAL INDEX, PREVALENCE, VETERANS, RISK, SARS, OUTBREAK
  • Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Studies have shown that healthcare professionals struggling with epidemics develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The aim of this study is to show how often and severely erectile dysfunction, one of the components of post-traumatic stress disorder, is seen among healthcare professionals during COVID-19 outbreak. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) were applied to 159 male healthcare professionals working in COVID-19 units and a control group of 200 people. Healthcare professional group was divided into subgroups according to occupation (physician, nurse), age-group (18-25, 26-30, >30), marital status and unit of work (Suspected Patient Area, Diagnosed Patient Area). Both stress disorder and erectile dysfunction were seen at higher rates in healthcare professionals group (p < .001). The median IIEF-5 scores of nurses, married subjects and those working in the Diagnosed Patient Area, were found to be higher (p < .001, p = .014, p = .011 respectively). During the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare professionals are exposed to psychological trauma and their sexual function may be negatively affected. The measures to be taken are important to estimate which groups are more affected.