Empirical studies also show the complexity of the issue.
Lambert et al. (2004) investigated prevalence and subjective
severity of side effects in 213 inpatients diagnosed with
schizophrenia, all of whom were treated with typical
antipsychotic medication. Data were collected 2–4 weeks
after admission, at which time 82 (38%) service users
reported the presence of side effects, principally extrapyramidal
symptoms (56%), sexual dysfunctions (12%) and
sedation (10%). Sexual dysfunctions had the highest level of
severity. Sexual dysfunctions have also been reported elsewhere.
They occur in both sexes, are frequently overlooked in
research and in clinical practice, and can adversely affect
adherence (Cutler 2003, Knegtering et al. 2003). A furtherdifficulty in evaluating sexual dysfunctions, however, is that
they can occur as a result of the primary illness and the social
consequences of the illness (Knegtering et al. 2003).