Abstract
to analyze the factors associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs among Brazilian undergraduate students. observational, cross-sectional study, with convenience sampling, conducted in 2014/2015, involving institutional data and a self-completed online questionnaire, analyzed using measures of frequency, central tendency/dispersion and logistic regression. among 126,326 students, 62.8% reported alcohol use; 11%, tobacco; and 7.5%, illicit drugs. Several academic factors-such as not residing with family (sororities [alcohol: aOR:2.38;95%CI:2.28-2.48; tobacco: AOR:2.20;95%CI:2.09-2.33; illicit drugs: AOR:2.53;95%CI:2.38-2.70]), acting in university movements (student [alcohol: AOR:1.74;95%CI:1.65-1.83; tobacco: AOR:1.97;95%CI:1.86-2.08; illicit drugs: AOR:2.43;95%CI:2.28-2.59] and religious [alcohol: AOR:0.28;95%CI:0.26-0.29; tobacco: AOR:0.23;95%CI:0.21-0.26; illicit drugs: AOR:0.18;95%CI:0.16-0.21]) and lack of discipline/study habit (alcohol: AOR:1.41;95%CI:1.37-1.45; tobacco: AOR:1.53;95%CI:1.46-1.59; illicit drugs: AOR:1.85;95%CI:1.76-1.94) - were associated with the use of the three categories of substances. we identified that a number of academic factors are associated with licit and illicit drug use. These findings may help in designing preventive strategies among college students.
Highlights
Entering university presents itself as a decisive phase in the student’s life, increasing his/her autonomy and freedom and, providing more access to health risk elements[1]
Conclusions: we identified that a number of academic factors are associated with licit and illicit drug use
Higher odds of using the three categories of substances were identified among college students who did not reside with family, were active in artistic-cultural, ecological, student and political; participated in activities in student assistance in culture; had doubts about changing courses; and reported difficulties involving teacher-student relationship, financial issues or lack of discipline/study habit
Summary
Entering university presents itself as a decisive phase in the student’s life, increasing his/her autonomy and freedom and, providing more access to health risk elements[1]. The WHO estimates that the prevalence of smoking among people aged 15 years and older is 22.7% worldwide[10] and that smoking (active or passive) is responsible for the death of about 6 million people a year worldwide[11]. Among college students, these figures are high, and an increase in the frequency of smoking was identified in this population from the 1990s to the 2000s(12). Among Brazilian college students, illicit drugs (drugs manufactured, obtained or sold illegally)(13) most cited as having ever used in their lives are inhalants, marijuana, anxiolytics, and amphetamines; it was found that Brazilian college students use almost twice as many inhalants as American students[3]
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