Prevalence of body-focused repetitive behaviors in three large medical colleges of karachi: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundBody-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) that include skin picking (dermatillomania), hair pulling (trichotillomania) and nail biting (onychophagia), lead to harmful physical and psychological sequelae.The objective was to determine the prevalence of BFRBs among students attending three large medical colleges of Karachi. It is imperative to come up with frequency to design strategies to decrease the burden and adverse effects associated with BFRBs among medical students.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 210 students attending Aga Khan University, Dow Medical College and Sind Medical College, Karachi, in equal proportion. Data were collected using a pre tested tool, “Habit Questionnaire”. Diagnoses were made on the criteria that a student must be involved in an activity 5 times or more per day for 4 weeks or more. Convenience sampling was done to recruit the participants aged 18 years and above after getting written informed consent.ResultsThe overall prevalence of BFRBs was found to be 46 (22%). For those positive for BFRBs, gender distribution was as follows: females 29 (13.9%) and males 17 (8.1%). Among these students, 19 (9.0%) were engaged in dermatillomania, 28 (13.3%) in trichotillomania and 13 (6.2%) in onychophagia.ConclusionsHigh proportions of BFRBs are reported among medical students of Karachi. Key health messages and interventions to reduce stress and anxiety among students may help in curtailing the burden of this disease which has serious adverse consequences.

Prevalence and correlates of clinically significant body-focused repetitive behaviors in a non-clinical sample

“…Although only recently included in the DSM-5, onychophagia [10,11] is not new to the medical literature. Prevalence rates vary from 6% to 34% of the population [8,10,12,13]. Lip or cheek biting and chewing has received even less attention, although prevalence studies estimate that 6% to 42% of the population are affected [8,12,13].…”

Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder in adults: a cross-cultural survey of Israeli Jewish and Arab samples

“…As in other studies of SPD [4,5,9], generalized anxiety was more common in the SPD subjects than in those free of the disorder.…”

“…The prevalence of SPD ranges from 1.25% to 5.4% in adult samples [2], and 2% to 9% in university students [3][4][5]. Three large-scale investigations have been conducted in community samples of adults in the United States [6][7][8].…”

Caracterización fenomenológica de las conductas repetitivas impulsivas orientadas hacia el cuerpo y el trastorno por excoriación en estudiantes universitarios

“…Se ha reportado la alta frecuencia de estas conductas entre los estudiantes universitarios 16 , particularmente entre los de medicina 17 , por lo que conocer sus características y prevalencia parece importante. Nuestro estudio señaló que 22,2% de la muestra siente siempre o casi siempre la necesidad o impulso de rascar su piel.…”

“…En función de los criterios sugeridos por los autores y establecidos por el DSM-5, que incluyen compromiso funcional y emocional, se verificó que 4/440 encuestados portarían dermatilomanía, determinándose una frecuencia de 0,91%, similar a la descrita por Snorrason et al para una población de estudiantes (1,7%) 11 . Sin embargo, en un estudio israelí que consideró a 5.000 universitarios, 3,03% cumplió con criterios para TE, resultado similar al de otras muestras de estudiantes que señalaron frecuencias de entre 2% y 9% 2,5,[17][18][19] . Conjuntamente, se identificaron cuatro alumnos eventualmente portadores de TE.…”