Obsessive-Compulsive and Spectrum Disorders, A Cross Sectional Study among the Medical Students at Tertiary Health Care Centre, Kanchipuram District-Tamil Nadu

Author(s):

Sowmiya KR, Vidhula Gauthaman, Rajayamini R*, Subhashini S and Jaya Kiruthiga S

Introduction: Obsessive and compulsive disorder is a chronic psychiatric illness which has been recognized as the fourth most common global psychiatric disorder. This study was done with an objective of estimating the prevalence of probable OCD and associated spectrum disorders and to evaluate the association between socio demographic features.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 477 medical students, at a Medical College in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu employing universal sampling method. The data was collected during the period from July 2022 to September 2022 using the Obsessive- Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) scale and score of ≥21 signify probable OCD

Results: Out of the 477 study participants screened for obsessive compulsive symptoms, 183(38.4%), were males and 294 (61.6%).were females. 206 (43.2%) participants had scored above the recommended cut-off on the OCI-R (R) presenting with probable OCD. In this current study age, gender, year of study and occupation of the head of the family were significantly associated with OCD (p value of <0.05).

Conclusion: Probable OCD prevalence is high among medical students emphasizing the need to provide supportive care to the students beginning from first year especially during this COVID pandemic period.