Dhat (semen loss) syndrome: a functional somatic syndrome of the Indian subcontinent?

Objective: To study the illness characteristics of Dhat syndrome, which has been widely regarded as a culture-bound syndrome.

Methods: The sample was selected from a general hospital and included 29 patients with Dhat syndrome and 32 medical controls. Somatization Screening Index (SSI), Illness Behaviour Questionnaire (SIBQ), Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SAS), Whitley Index (WI) and Chalder Fatigue Scale were administered to both groups.

Results: Patients with Dhat syndrome scored significantly higher on all the measures except the SAS.

Discussion: The results indicate that patients with Dhat syndrome have significantly different illness beliefs and behaviours compared to controls and have similarities with other functional somatic syndromes (FSSs).