ArticleSexually transmitted infections2023
Sexual and reproductive health in Britain during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: cross-sectional population survey (Natsal-COVID-Wave 2) and national surveillance data.
Article in Sexually transmitted infections, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- Decreased chlamydia notifications in six European Union/European Economic Area countries and England, 2024.Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin · 2026Article
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- Disabled people faced greater challenges accessing sexual and reproductive health services in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Britain: evidence from the Natsal-COVID survey.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on births and induced abortions in Southern Sweden: a register-based study.BMJ sexual & reproductive health · 2025Article
- Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on uptake of HIV treatment in Bandung and Yogyakarta, Indonesia: A retrospective cohort study.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Who accessed STI testing in Britain during the COVID-19 pandemic and how: Findings from Natsal-COVID, a cross-sectional quasi-representative survey.International journal of STD & AIDS · 2024Article
- Examining changes in sexual lifestyles in Britain between 1990-2010: a latent class analysis approach.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Associations Between Recent Contraceptive Use and First Sex Behaviors of Scottish Adolescents: A Brief Report.International journal of sexual health : official journal of the World Association for Sexual Health · 2024Article
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19 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo assess sexual behaviour, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes, after 1 year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Britain.
methods6658 participants aged 18-59 and resident in Britain completed a cross-sectional web-panel survey (Natsal-COVID-Wave 2, March-April 2021), 1 year after the first lockdown. Natsal-COVID-2 follows the Natsal-COVID-Wave 1 survey (July-August 2020) which captured impacts in the initial months. Quota-based sampling and weighting resulted in a quasi-representative population sample. Data were contextualised with reference to the most recent probability sample population data (Natsal-3; collected 2010-12; 15 162 participants aged 16-74) and national surveillance data on recorded sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, conceptions, and abortions in England/Wales (2010-2020). The main outcomes were: sexual behaviour; SRH service use; pregnancy, abortion and fertility management; sexual dissatisfaction, distress and difficulties.
resultsIn the year from the first lockdown, over two-thirds of participants reported one or more sexual partners (women 71.8%; men 69.9%), while fewer than 20.0% reported a new partner (women 10.4%; men 16.8%). Median occasions of sex per month was two. Compared with 2010-12 (Natsal-3), we found less sexual risk behaviour (lower reporting of multiple partners, new partners, and new condomless partners), including among younger participants and those reporting same-sex behaviour. One in 10 women reported a pregnancy; pregnancies were fewer than in 2010-12 and less likely to be scored as unplanned. 19.3% of women and 22.8% of men were distressed or worried about their sex life, significantly more than in 2010-12. Compared with surveillance trends from 2010 to 2019, we found lower than expected use of STI-related services and HIV testing, lower levels of chlamydia testing, and fewer conceptions and abortions.
conclusionsOur findings are consistent with significant changes in sexual behaviour, SRH, and service uptake in the year following the first lockdown in Britain. These data are foundational to SRH recovery and policy planning.
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