Middle East Journal of Family Medicine

JOURNAL

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March 2023 - Volume 21, Issue 2
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From the Editor

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A. Abyad (Chief Editor)
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Editorial
Abdulrazak Abyad

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March 2023- Volume 21, Issue 2

Social Anxiety Disorder Among Medical Students at King Abdulaziz University in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia

Naseem Abdulmohi Alhujaili1, Abdulaziz Abdullah Alghamdi1, Iman Mohmad Wahby Salem2,3, Haya Musaad Altherwi4, Shahad Musleh Alyaslami4, Atheer Talal Aljahdali4, Sarah Hani Alhajari4, Abdulrahman Mansour Aldhahri4.

(1) Department of Medicine, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
(2) Family and Community Medicine Department. Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh. King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
(3) Community and occupational Medicine Department. Faculty of Medicine. Al Azhar University, Egypt.
(4) Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Corresponding author:
Naseem Alhujaili, MD
Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
Assistant Professor- Department of Internal Medicine
Rabigh Faculty of Medicine - King Abdulaziz University
Email: nalhujaili@kau.edu.sa

Received: February 2023 Accepted: February 2023; Published:March 1, 2023. Citation: Naseem Abdulmohi Alhujaili et al. Social Anxiety Disorder among Medical Students at King Abdulaziz University in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia. World Family Medicine. March 2023; 21(2): 59-69 DOI: 10.5742/MEWFM.2023.95256057

Abstract

Background and aims: Social anxiety disorder is documented to have a huge prevalence among young adults and college students, and multiple research references the higher occurrence in medical students. This study is aimed to assess the prevalence of social anxiety disorder among the medical students at King Abdulaziz University- Rabigh branch and its associated risk factors.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 218 students aged between 18 and 26, which was managed by sending an online questionnaire that included participants’ demographic information and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS).

Results: Regarding participants, 52.8% of them are aged between 21 and 23, and most of them (54.6%) were males. About one-third of the students who participated (29.4%) had a marked social anxiety disorder, and only 6.4% of the students were found to have mild to no symptoms. Social anxiety disorder was found to increase in severity in females, younger students, and students with less satisfaction with their weight and appearance.

Conclusion: Social anxiety disorder is found to be significantly common among the participating medical students and correlated positively with multiple relevant factors, showing the effort needed for earlier detection of social anxiety disorder to manage it accordingly.

Keywords: medical students, social anxiety disease, mental health, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia

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