Sexual dysfunction in alcohol-dependent men and its correlation with marital satisfaction in spouses: A hospital-based cross-sectional study
Jitendra Rohilla1, Guarav Dhanda2, Parth Singh Meena3, Charan Singh Jilowa4, Pinki Tak5, Mahendra Jain3
1 Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India 2 Navjeevan Psychiatry Centre, De-Addiction Unit, Mansa, Punjab; Department of Psychiatry, De-Addiction Centre, JLN Medical College and Hospital, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India 3 Department of Psychiatry, De-Addiction Centre, JLN Medical College and Hospital, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India 4 Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, De Addiction Unit, India 5 Department of Medicine, JLN Medical College and Hospital, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Pinki Tak Department of Medicine, JLN Medical College and Hospital, Ajmer - 305 001, Rajasthan India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_5_20
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Background: Chronic use of alcohol affects almost every organ system of the body, including male sexual functions. There are only a few Indian studies, which have assessed sexual functions in alcohol-dependent (AD) men and many of them have limitations. This study was aimed to assess sexual functions and marital satisfaction among AD individuals compared to matched controls. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on 70 AD men (study group) and an equal number of matched controls and their spouses in the Department of psychiatry of Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College, Ajmer. Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale, Revised, and Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) were used to assess withdrawal state and severity of alcohol dependence in the AD group. Marital Adjustment Test (MAT) and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) were used in both study and control groups to assess marital satisfaction and various aspects of sexual functioning. Results: More than half of the men (58.6%) with alcohol dependence were found to have sexual dysfunction compared to only one-fifth in the control group (18.5%). The most commonly affected sexual functions were the ability to get and keep erection (70%) and arousal (62.8%). There was a large negative correlation of MAT scores in the AD group with the SADQ, rho (ρ) = −0.68, and sexual dysfunction (ASEX), rho (ρ) = −0.57. However, the duration of alcohol use did not have any significant association with marital satisfaction. Conclusions: This study showed that participants with AD were more likely to have sexual dysfunction and lower level of marital satisfaction in their spouses. This effect was not because of acute intoxication of alcohol or withdrawal symptoms. We need further research to ascertain whether sexual dysfunction and marital dissatisfaction is a result of alcohol dependence or its reinforcer or both.
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