Sexual disorders in Asians: a review

Sex is an integral part of the basic needs of an individual. However, Asian populations have had a conservative attitude towards discussing and expressing their sexual concerns to the clinician. Consequently, very limited research on sexuality-related issues has been done on these populations. Many of the biological and socio-cultural factors are different for Asians and Asian migrants to the West, when compared to the native Western population, and this requires dedicated research. The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition) has made the classification of sexual dysfunctions gender-specific and has introduced the concepts of 'gender dysphoria' and 'paraphilic disorders' (distinct from paraphilias); it has removed subtypes based on sexual orientation. These changes will have a definite impact on our understanding of sexual dysfunctions and related disorders in the Asian populations.