The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of sexual life of female healthcare professionals

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic process on the quality of sexual life of female helathcare professionals. The research is of descriptive type and actively working in the pandemic service of two different hospitals in Ankara, and was consisted of female health professionals who are between the ages of 18-54 and have a sexual partner. The sample of the study consisted of 110 female health professionals. The research was conducted between June and December 2021. Sociodemographic Characteristics Interview Form and Sexual Quality of Life Scale-Female (SQLS-F) Form were used to obtain data in the study. Frequency analysis (number, percentage, mean), Mann Whitney-U and Kruskal Wallis-H analyses were used to analyze the data collected. In order to test the comprehensibility of the forms and scales used in the study, a pilot study was conducted with 20 nurses and 5 doctors. As a result of the pilot study, it was determined that the forms and scales were adequate. The reliability coefficient Cronbach's Alpha value (α) of the SQLS-F form was found to be 0.941. The mean score of female healthcare professionals on the SQLS-F was 19.47±17.37. In the study, it was determined that there was a statistically significant relationship between the sexual quality of life of female healthcare professionals according to age, husband/partner occupation and marriage type variables (p<0.05). As a result of the research, it was determined that the quality of sexual life of female healthcare professionals was low during the pandemic process. It is recommended to expand the studies on the sexual life quality of female health professionals during the pandemic period and to take necessary precautions. It is recommended to expand the studies on the sexual life quality of female health professionals during the pandemic process and to take necessary precautions.