Dental students’ attitude towards propranolol non-medical use: A multi-institutional cross-sectional study in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction: The lives of college students are full of various stressors. Students seek a number of stress-relieving modalities as self-prescribed beta-blockers to improve their academic performance. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of beta-blockers (propranolol) usage amongst Saudi dental students and their attitude towards its use to enhance academic performance. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving a convenient sample was conducted on a group of undergraduate dental students enrolled in Riyadh dental schools during the academic year of 2019/2020. A paper format closed-ended questionnaire was used. Results: A sample of 680 students participated in the survey (43% response rate). Approximately 12% of dental students used propranolol for non-medical reasons. The prevalence did not differ significantly with the gender or year of study. A significantly higher percentage of students from private dental schools reported using propranolol for non-medical reasons (odds ratio (OR), 3.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7–5.4; p