Obsessive-compulsive disorder among dental students in Tamil Nadu: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACTBackground: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common mental disorder that often begins in the late teens. This makes university students particularly vulnerable, as they are exposed to a stressful environment filled with various factors that can trigger symptoms of obsessive-compulsive behaviors.Objectives: The objective of the present research is to explore the prevalence of OCD and its associated symptoms among dental students. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu with a sample size of 175 dental students. The students were selected through a convenience sampling method, from June 2024 to December 2024. Data collection was done through an online self-administered questionnaire with 18 questions on the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised scale (OCI-R), which was filled out anonymously and voluntarily.Results: According to the OCI-R Scale used in the study, 115 out of 175(65.7%) participants are found to have probable OCD. The statistically significant association between the prevalence of OCD with family history of OCD as well as between academic years (p=<0.001), with an increase in the probability of OCD with the increase in academic years.Conclusions: In conclusion, we found that the OCD prevalence is higher among Dental students than the general population in Chengalpattu. Higher prevalence was associated with females and dental students during their internship. Therefore, continuous examination of dental students to assess OCD is needed to provide the students with psychological assistance.