Topical corticosteroid phobia among high educational students in Al-Madinah region: A cross-sectional study

beliefs and ideas related to TCS use. This phenomenon is mostly caused by misinformation rather than an irrational fear, suggesting that the term TCS phobia is a misnomer. Objectives: To assess the prevalence of topical corticosteroid phobia among high educational students in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the 2022-2023 academic year using a pre-designed online questionnaire distributed through social media applications among university students in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The survey was composed of 13 questions. The data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: Among 485 participants, 46% of them were aged between 21-23 years old and 68% were female. Almost a quarter (22.5%) of them has used a topical corticosteroid; 22.9% of them were self-prescribed. Half of the users did not experience side effects and the most reported side effect was local skin irritation. Among non-users, fear of complications and concerns regarding its effectiveness were the most reported reasons that would prevent them from using TCS. Overall, TCS phobia and concerns were reported by 42.7% of the participants. The internet was the most common source of information. Conclusion: TCS are commonly used among young population in Al-Madinah. A considerable proportion was self-prescribed. TCS phobia is observed with misconceptions regarding the safety and efficacy of TCS. Health education is needed for this population to correct these misconceptions with involvement of healthcare professionals.