Browsing by Subject "Sexual and Reproductive Health"

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    Changes in Solo and Partnered Sexual Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a U.S. Probability Surve
    (medRxiv, 2020) Hensel, Devon; Rosenberg, Molly; Luetke, Maya; Fu, Tsung-chieh; Herbenick, Debby
    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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    The International Sexual Health And Reproductive Health Survey (I-SHARE-1): A Multi-Country Analysis of Adults from 30 Countries Prior to and During the Initial COVID-19 Wave
    (medRxiv: The Preprint Server for Health Sciences, 2021-10-19) Erausquin, Jennifer Toller; Tan, Rayner K. J.; Uhlich, Maximiliane; Francis, Joel M.; Kumar, Navin; Campbell, Linda; Zhang, Wei-Hong; Hlatshwako, Takhona G.; Kosana, Priya; Shah, Sonam; Brenner, Erica M.; Remmerie, Lore; Mussa, Aamirah; Klapilova, Katerina; Mark, Kristen; Perotta, Gabriela; Gabster, Amanda; Wouters, Edwin; Burns, Sharyn; Hendriks, Jacqueline; Hensel, Devon J.; Shamu, Simukai; Strizzi, Jenna Marie; Esho, Tammary; Morroni, Chelsea; Eleuteri, Stefano; Sahril, Norhafiza; Low, Wah Yun; Plasilova, Leona; Lazdane, Gunta; Marks, Michael; Olumide, Adesola; Abdelhamed, Amr; López Gómez, Alejandra; Michielsen, Kristien; Moreau, Caroline; Tucker, Joseph D.; I-SHARE research consortium
    Background: The COVID-19 pandemic forced billions of people to shelter in place, altering social and sexual relationships worldwide. In many settings, COVID-19 threatened already precarious health services. However, there is limited evidence to date about changes to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) during the initial wave of COVID-19 disease. To address this gap, our team organized a multi-country, cross-sectional online survey as part of a global consortium. Methods: Consortium research teams conducted online surveys in 30 countries. Sampling methods included convenience, online panels, and population-representative. Primary outcomes included sexual behaviors, partner violence, and SRH service utilization, and we compared three months prior to and three months after policy measures to mitigate COVID-19. We used established indicators and analyses pre-specified in our protocol. We conducted meta-analyses for primary outcomes and graded the certainty of the evidence using Cochrane methods. Descriptive analyses included 22,724 individuals in 25 countries. Five additional countries with sample sizes <200 were included in descriptive meta-analyses. Results: Respondents were mean age 34 years; most identified as women (15160; 66.7%), cis-gender (19432; 86.6%) and heterosexual (16592; 77.9%). Among 4546 respondents with casual partners, condom use stayed the same for 3374 (74.4%) people and 640 (14.1%) people reported a decline. Fewer respondents reported physical or sexual partner violence during COVID-19 measures (1063/15144, 7.0%) compared to the period before COVID-19 measures (1469/15887, 9.3%). COVID-19 measures impeded access to condoms (933/10790, 8.7%), contraceptives (610/8175, 7.5%), and HIV/STI testing (750/1965, 30.7%). Pooled estimates from meta-analysis indicate during COVID-19 measures, 32.3% (95% CI 23.9-42.1) of people needing HIV/STI testing had hindered access, 4.4% (95% CI 3.4-5.4) experienced partner violence, and 5.8% (95% CI 5.4-8.2) decreased casual partner condom use (moderate certainty of evidence for each outcome). Meta-analysis findings were robust in sensitivity analyses that examined country income level, sample size, and sampling strategy. Conclusion: Open science methods are feasible to organize research studies as part of emergency responses. The initial COVID-19 wave impacted SRH behaviors and access to services across diverse global settings.
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    Sexual Coercion's Impact on Parent and School Connectedness among Rural Adolescents
    (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2018-02-01) Muzzey, Allison K.; Hensel, Devon J.; Zaban, Leigh; Ott, Mary A.
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    Truth be Told: Adolescents’ disclosure of sexual activity to providers during a sexual history
    (APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2-Nov. 6), 2019-11) Liddon, Nicole; Steiner, Riley; Pampati, Sanjana; Hensel, Devon; Fu, Tsung-chieh; Beckmeyer, Jonathon; Herbenick, Debby