Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) in war veterans injured due to chemical warfare exposure during deployment. Methods: Eighty-five chemically injured veterans (CIVs) and 100 non-CIVs were enrolled. Participants were interviewed using a predesigned questionnaire, developed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision description of spectrum of SD. Results: The prevalence of SD in CIVs was 65.9 as opposed to 33.0 in non-CIVs (p =.0001). CIVs had higher prevalence rates in all domains examined (p <.05). The most commonly affected domain in both groups was erectile dysfunction (51.6 in CIVs and 15.0 in non-CIVs). Two thirds of CIVs had been diagnosed with at least one type of SD. Conclusions: The involvement of multiple areas of sexual functioning in CIVs suggests that a combination of physical and psychological factors may contribute to SD. Further efforts are needed to determine the precise etiological factors.