Article: EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DHAT SYNDROME AND SHUKRA VEGA DHARANA IN INCARCERATED MEN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Article Category: Original Research articles

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.174136

Pages: 57-60

Author: Shivanand S Tonde, Yeshwant R Patil, Satyajit Pandurang Kulkarni *

Abstract: Introduction: Dhat Syndrome, a culture-bound concept of distress, and Shukra Vega Dharana (suppression of the urge for ejaculation), an Ayurvedic concept concerning suppression of natural sexual urges, are prevalent in the Indian subcontinent. Both are related to beliefs about semen preservation; however, their statistical overlap remains under-researched, particularly in restrictive environments. Aim: To evaluate the clinical and statistical association between Dhat Syndrome (DS) and Shukra Vega Dharana (SVD; suppression of the urge for ejaculation) among incarcerated men. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 2017 to 2019 in a central correctional facility in India. Data from 267 inmates were collected using structured questionnaires in English, Marathi, and Hindi. DS was identified using a screening definition based on perceived semen loss with associated somatic symptoms; SVD was defined using a five-item composite measure of behavioural and cognitive suppression. Results: The mean age of participants was 32.43 years. The prevalence of DS and SVD among respondents was 94.0% and 91.8%, respectively. A strong statistical association was observed (χ2 = 189.54, p < 0.001), with near-complete overlap between the constructs. Lower educational status, nocturnal emissions, and non-productive use of free time were significant predictors of both conditions. Conclusion: DS and SVD showed substantial clinical and statistical overlap in this population. These findings suggest that both frameworks identify a common cultural idiom of distress related to sexual deprivation and health-related anxiety in the prison environment.

Keyword: Dhat Syndrome, culture-bound syndromes, Ayurveda, sexual behaviour, anxiety.