A Study of Sexual Dysfunction in a Sample of Medicated and non Medicated Egyptian Female Patients with Schizophrenia

Abstract

Background: the relationship between sexuality and schizophrenia is complex. It may be related to both the psychopathology and the pharmacotherapy, as the sexual functions may be affected by symptoms itself, living with a severe chronic mental health illness, and the adverse effects of antipsychotics or other medications. Systematic studies have revealed that sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent in both untreated and treated schizophrenia patients, affecting 30–80% of women and 45–80% of men. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction may be higher in patients with schizophrenia than in patients treated for other mental disorders. Aim of the Work: to compare a group of females with Schizophrenia to healthy female control group regarding frequency and type of sexual dysfunction. Patients and Methods: this study was sought to extend our knowledge about the association of schizophrenia and its treatment with sexuality problems. It was done at Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University to determine the rate of occurrence of sexual dysfunctions in married females with schizophrenia in comparison to control group. It included 90 females diagnosed as schizophrenia (divided into 3 groups of 30s 1-untreated patients 2-patients treated with typical anti psychotics 3- patients treated with Atypical antipsychotics) and 30 females as a control group. Results: the study revealed high prevalence of sexual dysfunction among all patients group yet it was highest among the drug naive group as 100% of them had sexual dysfunction. Conclusion: the relation between schizophrenia and female sexuality is complex it could be the result of side effect of antipsychotic medications yet the high prevalence of sexual dysfunction among drug naive patients, suggest that sexual dysfunction is an integral part of the disease.