Changes in Solo and Partnered Sexual Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a U.S. Probability Survey

  1. Devon J. Hensel
  2. Molly Rosenberg
  3. Maya Luetke
  4. Tsung-chieh Fu
  5. Debby Herbenick

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Abstract

Background

Research demonstrates that pandemics adversely impact sexual and reproductive health (SRH), but few have examined their impact on people’s participation in sex. We examined self-reported changes in solo and sexual behaviors in U.S. adults during early stages of the public health response to COVID-19.

Methods

We conducted an online, nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of U.S. adults (N=1010; aged 18-94 years; 62% response rate) from April 10-20, 2020. We used weighted multinomial logistic regression to examine past month self-reported changes (decreased, stable or increased) in ten solo and partnered sexual behaviors. Predictor variables included: having children at home, past month depressive symptoms, (ACHA 3-item scale), past month loneliness (UCLA 3-Item Loneliness scale), COVID-19 protection behaviors (adapted 12-item scale), perceived COVID-19 consequences (adapted 10-item scale) and COVID-19 knowledge (adapted 10-item scale).

Results

Nearly half of all adults reported some kind of change – most commonly, a decrease – in their sexual behavior in the past month. Having elementary aged children at home, past month depressive symptoms and loneliness and enacting more COVID-19 protective behaviors were associated with both reduced partnered bonding behaviors, such as hugging, cuddling, holding hands and kissing, as well as reduced partnered sexual behaviors, such as oral sex, partnered genital touching and vaginal sex. Greater COVID-19 risk perception and greater COVID-19 knowledge were associated with mixed effects in behavior outcomes.

Conclusions

Our data illustrate the very personal ways in which different pandemic-associated factors may create or inhibit opportunities for solo and partnered sex. The centrality of sexuality to health and well-being – even during pandemics – means that a critical piece of public health prevention and management responses should is ensuring that services and resource that support positive sexual decision making remain open and available.

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  1. Version published to 10.1101/2020.06.09.20125609v2 on medRxiv
  2. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.06.09.20125609: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board StatementIRB: Study procedures were approved by the Indiana University Institutional Review Board (#2004194314).
    RandomizationIndividuals randomly selected to participate were notified of the survey’s availability via email and through their online member page.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    No key resources detected.

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:
    Our research had several limitations. First, we did not assess the infection status of participants, their sexual partner(s), or household members. We also did not measure whether or not a participant or anyone around them had exhibited COVID-19 symptoms in the past month. Future studies could explore the impact of infection status and duration, as well as symptom experiences, on sexual decision-making. Second, due to space limitations and relative population-level infrequency of anal behaviors,37 we did not ask about any changes anal sex activities. The potential of feces as a virus transmission route warrants further investigation of these behaviors. Third, we did not ask participants about their formal inclusion in a stay-at-home/shelter-in-place order and/or the extent to which they were following such an order, though we do know that most of the country was subjected to such in the month prior to the study period. This information could have implications for the structure of time available for sex, particularly in the context of other obligations like work or childcare. Finally, this survey assessed sexual behavior changes relatively early in the epidemic. We do not know how measures taken to manage COVID-19 could change behavioral practices in ways that could increase or reduce odds to adverse sexual outcomes.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  3. Version published to 10.1101/2020.06.09.20125609v1 on medRxiv