ABSTRACT
Background: Alcohol is a potent substance that causes both acute and chronic changes in almost all neurochemical systems, with the result that heavy drinking can produce serious psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety, and psychoses. It also affects sexual health adversely and causes sexual dysfunction. Methods: This study aimed to find the prevalence and pattern of sexual dysfunction in male patients with alcohol dependence. This cross-sectional study included 100 patients attending psychiatry out patient department (OPD) at a tertiary care center in west India. Informed written consent was taken for collecting socio-demographic and clinical data in a uniform and standard manner. Sexual dysfunction was assessed using a sexual dysfunction checklist, constructed by Arackal and Benegal at the national institute of mental health and neuroscience, Bangalore containing 12 items from the diagnostic criteria for research and ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioral disorders. The Leeds dependence questionnaire was used to assess the severity of alcohol dependence. Findings: Sexual dysfunction was present in 62% of the patients. Among the patients, 36% had difficulty achieving an erection, 34% had difficulty maintaining an erection, 37% reported premature ejaculation, 7% had delayed ejaculation, 14% reported anorgasmia, 1% had ejaculation with a flaccid penis, 2% had pain during intercourse, 6% were dissatisfied with the frequency of intercourse, 4% were dissatisfied with their sexual partner, and 7% were dissatisfied with their performance. Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction is significantly and positively associated with duration, amount of alcohol consumed per day, and severity of alcohol dependence.
ABSTRACT
New disability law called "Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016" has been acted in 2016. The United Nations' Convention for Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the sole of this new act. Of the total 21 categories, three new neurological legal disability categories such as chronic neurological conditions, Parkinson disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis have been notified first time in the new act. The new guidelines have been notified in the year 2018 for evaluation and certification of specified disabilities. As a new addition in these guidelines, modified Rankin scale score has been added to measure locomotor disability of stroke. Certainly, newer guidelines have many lacunae also. There are no recommendations of any method of disability measurement associated with movement disorders such as PD, chronic neurological conditions such as migraine, epilepsy, and ataxia. The tables of older guidelines for disability calculation in conditions such as unconsciousness and epileptic fits have been removed in newer guidelines. Professional bodies should come into action immediately and do effort for rectifying these shortcomings and/or fallacies in new guidelines.
