The experimentation of the IIEF among psychiatric patients.
El Kissi, Yousri *,1, 2, Amara, Ghanem 1, 2, Mlika, Salem1, 3, Dardour, Aïcha1, Ben Nasr, Selma1, 2, Ben Haj Ali, Béchir1, 2, 1 Service de Psychiatrie de Sousse, Sousse, Sousse, Tunisie2 Faculté de Médecine Ibn Jazzar de Sousse, Sousse, Sousse, Tunisie3 Département de psychologie, Tunis, Tunis, Tunisie
ABSTRACT- INTRODUCTION Sexual dysfunctions are common in psychiatric patients, especially among schizophrenic and depressive ones. Their assessment is difficult considering the lack of standardized instruments. OBJECTIVE This study aims to report a preliminary trial of using IIEF as an instrument to assess sexual dysfunctions among psychiatric patients. MATERIEL AND METHODS 30 male patients were recruited from the psychiatric outpatient unit of the Farhat Hached general hospital. This sample contains 15 patients with major depressive disorder and 15 patients with schizophrenia following the DSM IV criteria. Patient interview was done during summer 2004 ( July and August) by the psychiatrists of the unit. The assessment concerned : The sociodemographic profile Clinical characteristics Therapeutic characteristics IIEF-15 subscores and global scores RESULTS The IIEF-15 scores showed many sexual dysfunctions in both groups. Depressive patients seem to have a higher level of comprehension for the questionnary items. Further more their answers were more specific and exact then schizophrenic patients. The latter often expressed unnecessary and an inadequate commentaries. It appears difficult, for both groups, to find out the respective implications of an eventual previous disorder, the actual psychiatric symptoms and the treatment side effects. CONCLUSION This preliminary study shows some of the difficulties that clinicians can face in the assessment of sexual dysfunctions among psychiatric patients. These difficulties explain the lack of studies concerning these dysfunctions and justify the need for more adequate instruments of assessment.
Key words: IIEF, sexual dysfunctions, Psychiatric patients, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia