Slovenian women\u27s sexual function and health-related quality of life in the time of COVID-19 epidemic

Uvod: Izjemne razmere vplivajo na življenje vsakega posameznika ter na njegove odnose z drugimi. Epidemija Covid-19 je spremenila vsakdan ljudi po svetu in tudi v Sloveniji. Prinesla je nove skrbi, omejitve, stresorje in izzive, s katerimi so se prebivalci vsakodnevno spoprijemali na vseh področjih življenja. Raziskave po svetu opozarjajo, da je vpliv nepričakovanih dogodkov velikega obsega lahko problematičen na področju zdravja in z zdravjem povezane kakovosti življenja, pa tudi na področju sprememb v odnosih z bližnjimi, še posebej z intimnimi partnerji. Namen: Namen diplomskega dela je raziskati spolno funkcijo in z zdravjem povezano kakovost življenja pri slovenskih ženskah v reproduktivnem obdobju med epidemijo Covid-19. Metode dela: Uporabili smo deskriptivno in kavzalno neeksperimentalno metodo empiričnega raziskovanja. Raziskovalni projekt je temeljil na sistematičnem pregledu strokovne in znanstvene literature, raziskava pa je bila izvedena v spletni aplikaciji 1KA z anketnim vprašalnikom. Vprašalnik je bil sestavljen iz validiranih vprašalnikov FSFI-19, FSDS in SF-36 ter vprašanj o demografskih podatkih. Pred javno objavo v aplikaciji 1KA je bil pilotno preizkušen in ustrezno dopolnjen. Podatki so bili analizirani v programu IBM SPSS Statistics 28.0.0.0. Razlike med posameznimi izbranimi spremenljivkami smo ob frekvenčni analizi podatkov preverjali še z ANOVA-testom ter post hoc Tukeyevim testom. Rezultati: Povprečna ocena celotne lestvice FSFI med anketirankami je bila 25,37 ± 8,29. V povprečju najvišje sta bili ocenjeni bolečina (xŻ = 4,8) in vzburjenje (xŻ = 4,7). Povprečna ocena SF-36-vprašalnika glede z zdravjem povezane kakovosti življenja anketirank je bila 73,52 ± 13,84. Največ težav so anketiranke navajale na področju energije (izčrpanost) (xŻ = 48,50), omejitev zaradi čustvenih težav (xŻ = 59,54) in čustvene dobrobiti (xŻ = 62,93 ). 61,8 % anketirank je ocenilo, da je njihovo trenutno zdravje približno enako stanju njihovega zdravja pred epidemijo Covid-19. Razprava in zaključek: 36,7 % sodelujočih je na FSFI-vprašalniku doseglo povprečno oceno pod 26,55. Rezultat kaže na to, da pri ženskah, zajetih v vzorec, obstaja večja verjetnost za prisotnost spolnih disfunkcij. Ženske so svoje zdravje in z zdravjem povezano kakovost življenja v času Covid-19 v večini ocenile pozitivno. Smiselno bi bilo nadaljnje raziskovanje in spremljanje teh področij z vključitvijo še kvalitativnih metod raziskovanja.Introduction: Exceptional circumstances influence everyday lives and interpersonal relationships. Covid-19 shook life as we knew it around the world as well as in Slovenia. With an unknown disease came new worries, obstacles, stressors and challenges. Researchers around the globe are alerting the science community that extensive and unexpected events (such as Covid-19 pandemy) impact individual health and consequently health related quality of life as well as interpersonal relationships, especially intimate ones. Purpose: The purpose of diploma work was to research sexual function and health related quality of life among Slovene females of the reproductive age in the time of Covid-19, as well as compare the results to the available data before Covid-19 hit and with research made in some foreign countries. Methods: We used descriptive and causal non-experimental method of empiric research. Scientific and professional literature in Slovene and English, published between 2017 and 2022 was used. The research was conducted in on-line app 1KA. The questionaare consisted of FSFI-19, FSDS and SF-36 and was tested and updated before it was shared on-line. The results were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 28.0.0.0 where we calculeted mean valuse, percents and standard deviation. Variable impact was calculated using frequence analysis as well as multifactor ANOVA and Tukey test. Results: Mean FSFI value was 25,37 ± 8,29. The highest values were detected concerning pain and arousal in the last four weeks. SF-36 mean value was 73,52 ± 13,84. The most problems were reported in the realm of energy (fatigue), emotional problems and emotional wellbeing. 61,8 percent of women included in our research estimate their health is around the same as it was before Covid-19 hit. Discussion and conclusion: 36,7 % of women in our research scored below 26,55 points on FSFI questionaare. This result is indicative of a high probability for presence of sexual dysfunction. Most of the women included estimate positive health and health related quality of life during Covid-19 epidemic. More reasearch using qualitative research methods is needed in the field