Sante Ment Que. 2025 Fall-Winter;50(2):217-234.
ABSTRACT
Introduction Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic psychiatric condition and one of the most common psychiatric disorders. This study aims to analyze the prescribing habits of Moroccan psychiatrists for OCD, identify deviations from international recommendations, and explore potential differences in prescribing practices based on medical status (resident or psychiatrist), practice sector (public or private), and type of establishment (university hospital or other). Methodology This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted among psychiatrists and psychiatry residents in Morocco. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used to explore their treatment habits for OCD. Data were collected from various healthcare facilities, both public and private, between January 16 and July 24, 2024. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software to assess the conformity of prescribing practices with international recommendations. Results The study included 116 participants. The majority of participants recommended a pharmacological treatment as the first-line therapy, primarily SSRIs (92.2%), while only 4.3% recommended CBT alone. After the failure of an initial SSRI, 35.3% recommended trying another SSRI, while others suggested adding an antipsychotic or trying clomipramine (37.9% and 14.7%, respectively). The analyses showed that practitioners trained in CBT were more likely to recommend it, and significant differences were observed between residents and specialists regarding the use of clomipramine after therapeutic failure. Conclusion This study highlights marked trends in OCD treatment practices in our context, revealing both concordances and discrepancies with international recommendations. The dissemination and adoption of best prescribing practices, as well as regular monitoring of therapeutic regimens, are crucial to improving the management of patients with OCD and ensuring a more guideline-conformant approach.
PMID:41812175
