Association between COVID-19 and sexual health: an umbrella review

PURPOSE: We conducted this umbrella review to review the current evidence on the relationship between COVID-19 and sexual health in both men and women. METHODS: We conducted searches in Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane dataset for meta-analyses that met our pre-set inclusion criteria. We included studies with detailed information investigating the link between COVID-19 and sexual health in men/women. We did not limit the language. RESULTS: The results of the included studies frequently relied on the Female Sexual Function Index to assess sexual health in women. For men, the International Index of Male Function and hospital diagnoses were commonly used to assess sexual health. Currently, there is conflicting evidence regarding the impact of COVID-19 on sexual health. However, since most studies were observational in nature, additional study designs are necessary to draw definitive conclusions across different contexts. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the importance of sexual health among COVID-19 patients and people affected due to COVID-19. Further critical studies should investigate the mechanism underlying the association between COVID-19 and sexual health.