![]() It is therefore essential to come up with frequency to design strategies to decrease the prevalence of BFRBs and thus prevent their adverse effects among medical students. Since limited literature from our part of the world is available on body-focused repetitive behaviors and its impact on medical students and their lifestyles, it is imperative to spread awareness regarding them and find out ways and means to prevent them. CBT often involves Habit Reversal Training and Exposure and Response Prevention (aka Exposure and Ritual Prevention). The treatment for BFRBs may include a combination of psychotropic medications and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Very limited literature and no prevalence estimates regarding BFRBs could be found from Asian countries including Pakistan. Based on questionnaire screenings, a lifetime ICD rate of 3.5% was found in college students of Germany. A recent survey of college students found that 13.7% of the sample endorsed in at least one repetitive behavior that occurred more than five times per day for at least 4 weeks and produced some type of psychological or physical disruption of functioning. Another study from USA, using the stringent criteria of 5 times or more per week stated 21.8% students engaged in mouth, lips or cheeks chewing and 10.1% engaged in habitual nail biting. Nail biting of 2 times or more per week was reported among 63.6% students in United States of America. Prevalence estimates indicates that such behaviors are quite common among students. The behavior continues because the BFRB results in a more pleasant state therefore, it is negatively reinforced. The key factor underlying BFRBs is difficulty resisting the urge or impulse to perform a certain behavior that causes a degree of relief. ![]() They are among the most poorly understood, misdiagnosed, and under treated groups of disorders. ![]() When these BFRBs cross this line, then they are classified as Impulse Control Disorders.īFRBs most often begin in late childhood or adolescence. ![]() However, these nervous habits become problematic when they interfere with the person’s everyday functioning. These behaviors for some individuals are simply referred to as nervous habits. 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.īody-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) refer to a group of behaviors that include skin picking (dermatillomania), hair pulling (trichotillomania) and nail biting (onychophagia), which result in physical and psychological difficulties. High proportions of BFRBs are reported among medical students of Karachi. Among these students, 19 (9.0%) were engaged in dermatillomania, 28 (13.3%) in trichotillomania and 13 (6.2%) in onychophagia. For those positive for BFRBs, gender distribution was as follows: females 29 (13.9%) and males 17 (8.1%). The overall prevalence of BFRBs was found to be 46 (22%). Convenience sampling was done to recruit the participants aged 18 years and above after getting written informed consent. 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. Data were collected using a pre tested tool, “Habit Questionnaire”. MethodsĪ cross-sectional study was conducted among 210 students attending Aga Khan University, Dow Medical College and Sind Medical College, Karachi, in equal proportion. It is imperative to come up with frequency to design strategies to decrease the burden and adverse effects associated with BFRBs among medical students. The objective was to determine the prevalence of BFRBs among students attending three large medical colleges of Karachi. Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) that include skin picking (dermatillomania), hair pulling (trichotillomania) and nail biting (onychophagia), lead to harmful physical and psychological sequelae. ![]()
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