View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Longitudinal Assessment of Sexual Behavior and Relationship Quality During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Britain: Findings from a Longitudinal Population Survey (Natsal-COVID).

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Longitudinal Assessment of Sexual Behavior and Relationship Quality During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Britain: Findings from a Longitudinal Population Survey (Natsal-COVID).
Authors: Miall, Naomi (AUTHOR), Aveline, Alice (AUTHOR), Copas, Andrew J. (AUTHOR), Bosó Pérez, Raquel (AUTHOR), Baxter, Andrew J. (AUTHOR), Riddell, Julie (AUTHOR), Oakley, Laura (AUTHOR), Menezes, Dee (AUTHOR), Conolly, Anne (AUTHOR), Bonell, Chris (AUTHOR), Sonnenberg, Pam (AUTHOR), Mercer, Catherine H. (AUTHOR), Field, Nigel (AUTHOR), Mitchell, Kirstin R. (AUTHOR), Willis, Malachi (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Sex Research. May2026, Vol. 63 Issue 4, p487-497. 11p.
Subjects: COVID-19 pandemic, Relationship quality, Human sexuality, Sexual health, Longitudinal method, Quarantine
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
Abstract: While the impact of social restrictions on sexual and romantic life early in the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely studied, little is known about impacts beyond the initial months. We analyzed responses from 2,098 British adults (aged 18–59) taking part in the Natsal-COVID study (Waves 1 and 2). Participants were recruited via a web panel and surveyed twice: four months and one year after the start of the UK's first national lockdown (July 2020 and March 2021). Changes in the prevalence and frequency of participants' physical and virtual sexual behaviors between the two surveys were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. Changes in the quality of intimate relationships were modeled using logistic regression for the 1,407 participants in steady relationships, adjusting for age, gender, and relationship status. The reported prevalence of any sexual activity amongst the full sample increased over the study period (from 88.1% to 91.5%, aOR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.23–1.84). Increases were observed for physical (aOR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.15–1.74) and virtual (aOR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.07–1.34) activities, particularly masturbation (aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.37–1.72). Increases were larger for men than women. The proportion of participants in steady relationships whose relationship scored as "lower quality" increased (from 23.9% to 26.9%, aOR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.10–1.49). These findings have implications for understanding sexual health needs during disasters and planning sexual health service priorities following the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Sex Research is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 192783900
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Longitudinal Assessment of Sexual Behavior and Relationship Quality During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Britain: Findings from a Longitudinal Population Survey (Natsal-COVID).
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Miall%2C+Naomi%22">Miall, Naomi</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aveline%2C+Alice%22">Aveline, Alice</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Copas%2C+Andrew+J%2E%22">Copas, Andrew J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bosó+Pérez%2C+Raquel%22">Bosó Pérez, Raquel</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Baxter%2C+Andrew+J%2E%22">Baxter, Andrew J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Riddell%2C+Julie%22">Riddell, Julie</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Oakley%2C+Laura%22">Oakley, Laura</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Menezes%2C+Dee%22">Menezes, Dee</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Conolly%2C+Anne%22">Conolly, Anne</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bonell%2C+Chris%22">Bonell, Chris</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sonnenberg%2C+Pam%22">Sonnenberg, Pam</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mercer%2C+Catherine+H%2E%22">Mercer, Catherine H.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Field%2C+Nigel%22">Field, Nigel</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mitchell%2C+Kirstin+R%2E%22">Mitchell, Kirstin R.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Willis%2C+Malachi%22">Willis, Malachi</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Sex+Research%22">Journal of Sex Research</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 63 Issue 4, p487-497. 11p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19+pandemic%22">COVID-19 pandemic</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Relationship+quality%22">Relationship quality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+sexuality%22">Human sexuality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sexual+health%22">Sexual health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Longitudinal+method%22">Longitudinal method</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Quarantine%22">Quarantine</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: While the impact of social restrictions on sexual and romantic life early in the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely studied, little is known about impacts beyond the initial months. We analyzed responses from 2,098 British adults (aged 18–59) taking part in the Natsal-COVID study (Waves 1 and 2). Participants were recruited via a web panel and surveyed twice: four months and one year after the start of the UK's first national lockdown (July 2020 and March 2021). Changes in the prevalence and frequency of participants' physical and virtual sexual behaviors between the two surveys were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. Changes in the quality of intimate relationships were modeled using logistic regression for the 1,407 participants in steady relationships, adjusting for age, gender, and relationship status. The reported prevalence of any sexual activity amongst the full sample increased over the study period (from 88.1% to 91.5%, aOR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.23–1.84). Increases were observed for physical (aOR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.15–1.74) and virtual (aOR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.07–1.34) activities, particularly masturbation (aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.37–1.72). Increases were larger for men than women. The proportion of participants in steady relationships whose relationship scored as "lower quality" increased (from 23.9% to 26.9%, aOR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.10–1.49). These findings have implications for understanding sexual health needs during disasters and planning sexual health service priorities following the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Sex Research is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=192783900
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/00224499.2024.2432000
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 487
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19 pandemic
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Relationship quality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Human sexuality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sexual health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Longitudinal method
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Quarantine
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Longitudinal Assessment of Sexual Behavior and Relationship Quality During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Britain: Findings from a Longitudinal Population Survey (Natsal-COVID).
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Miall, Naomi
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Aveline, Alice
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Copas, Andrew J.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Bosó Pérez, Raquel
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Baxter, Andrew J.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Riddell, Julie
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Oakley, Laura
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Menezes, Dee
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Conolly, Anne
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Bonell, Chris
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sonnenberg, Pam
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Mercer, Catherine H.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Field, Nigel
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Mitchell, Kirstin R.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Willis, Malachi
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Text: May2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00224499
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 63
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Sex Research
              Type: main
ResultId 1