A Study on the Attitude, Abuse and Addiction to Tramadol among Sudanese University Students in Khartoum State, Sudan

Abstract

Aim: This research was designed to study addiction to the drug Tramadol among university students in Khartoum State.
 Introduction: Tramadol is an atypical opioid that binds to μ-opioid receptors on neurons. It has a bioavailability of 70% and undergoes extensive first-pass metabolism in the liver. In most countries, it is a prescription-only medicine. Tramadol abuse has increased recently in the last few years between private universities in Khartoum state, Sudan. Common adverse effects of opioids are nausea, vomiting, relaxation, itching, mental confusion, delirium, urinary retention, sweating.
 Methodology: A study was conducted on 176 university students in Khartoum from August to September 2018. Ethical approval was obtained from sudan international university research commette and permission from each academic institution. A questionnaire sheet was developed to collect data related to drug abuse among students, including Sociodemographic data and knowledge about drug use without prescription. The collected data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA - IBM - Statistical Package for the Social Science version 16 programs-2008.
 Results: A study of 176 university students found that most were male (79.5%) and female (20.5%), with an age range of 21-25. Most were medical students, with a minority in engineering, literacy, and computing fields. Most were aware of tramadol analgesic "pain killer" effect, but only 53.7% knew its hallucinogenic effect. Most abusers used tramadol for less than a year, with most starting in university life. Most abusers consumed various doses, with most consuming daily. Adverse effects of tramadol included physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, and attempts at quitting. Reasons for failure to quit were mainly compliance.
 Conclusion: Tramadol abuse is prevalent among medical students in Sudan. Reasons for initiation include elation desire, avoidance of life conflicts, and curiosity.