Prevalence and factors associated with the use of benzodiazepines by health students

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with the use of benzodiazepines among health science students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 388 university students via an online form from March, April, and May 2022. Data were evaluated using the SPSS 20.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) for Windows. The Chi-square test was used to evaluate differences in proportions of categorical data, with p≤0.05 considered significant. Results: The prevalence of benzodiazepine use was 22.2%, with 33.7% (n=29) being male and 66.3% (n=57) female. It was observed that 74.4% (n=64) were aged 18-25 years. Additionally, 61 reported having medical indications for the use of medication, and 38 said they bought it without a prescription. The two main indications that appeared in the study were Anxiety and Insomnia, with 72 and 42 responses, respectively. Finally, the main symptoms of withdrawal appeared in people who take the medication more frequently. Conclusion: The use of benzodiazepines proved to be of great relevance among academics, in several aspects, mainly in relation to the frequency of use and dependence.