Abstract
BackgroundHealth professional students frequently use alcohol and narcotics. The potential impact on academic performance and professional behaviour is concerning.AimThis study aimed to determine self-reported use of alcohol, illicit substances (e.g. cannabis, lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD], magic mushroom, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, methamphetamine and heroin), prescription medication and smoking habits, correlating academic performance.SettingFaculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State.MethodsAn observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used. Information was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire, capturing demographics, self-reported academic performance, drinking and smoking habits, and substance use. Coded responses were analysed using the Remark Office OMR 8 Software System. Descriptive statistics were calculated for categorical variables.ResultsCompleted questionnaires comprised 171 students. A total of 78.4% of second year and 82.8% of third year students reported using alcohol. Twenty-two per cent of second year and 24.1% of third year students reported cannabis use. In the second year group, three (2.7%) students reported using magic mushroom, two (1.8%) reported cocaine, two (1.8%) reported ecstasy and one (0.9%) reported using methamphetamine. Only third year students reported using LSD or ‘crack’. Cigarette smoking was common – 31.5% and 35.1% in both groups, respectively. Smokeless tobacco devices were used by 8.5% of second year and 7.1% of third year students. Almost 40% of both groups reported that they had smoked a water pipe. Academic performance achieved was mostly 60% – 69% (38.9%) among second year students and 70% – 79% (46.6%) among third year students.ConclusionSelf-reported use of alcohol and drugs and smoking among medical students is alarming. Additional student support, early identification and referral for management and/or rehabilitation should be a priority at tertiary institutions responsible for training future healthcare professionals.
Highlights
BackgroundAlcohol abuse among students nationally and internationally is rising and alcohol has generally been identified as the most commonly used substance among students (SA Statistics 2013; Van Zyl et al 2015)
A previous study among medical students across all 5 years of the MBChB curriculum at the University of the Free State (UFS) reported that 9.8% of students used methylphenidate, and about one-third of these students were diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Similar studies conducted at other South African medical schools found lifetime use of stimulants for non-medical purposes in approximately one-fifth of medical students, with only about 2% of these students diagnosed with ADHD (Jain et al 2017; Retief & Verster 2016; Steyn 2016)
Summary
BackgroundAlcohol abuse among students nationally and internationally is rising and alcohol has generally been identified as the most commonly used substance among students (SA Statistics 2013; Van Zyl et al 2015). Hazardous drinking is defined by the volumes of alcohol consumed and/or the pattern of alcohol consumption associated with an increased risk for alcohol-attributable diseases in the future (Seggie 2012). Hazardous drinking has to be differentiated from alcohol use disorders, which have their own specific diagnostic criteria (Halme et al 2008). According to data published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (n.d.) in the USA, 80% of students drink alcohol. These results indicated that half of the students engage in binge drinking, where men consume five drinks and women consume four drinks in the course of 2 h. Health professional students frequently use alcohol and narcotics. The potential impact on academic performance and professional behaviour is concerning
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