Nonprescription Users Research Articles

Knowledge and Attitude toward Antibiotic Use and Identification of Financially Feasible Options to Curb the Spread of Antibiotics in Environment.

A survey on antibiotic literacy in terms of the use and abuse of antibiotics to track and understand antibiotic consumption is crucial to optimize the use of antibiotics and minimizing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Purposive random sampling, using the snow-ball questionnaire technique, was adopted to ensure that the respondents distributed across India, coming from rural and urban settings, were adolescents as well as adults and had completed at least the higher secondary school level of education. Respondents were divided into five subcategories. The questionnaire was distributed between April 2021 and July 2021, during the second COVID-19 wave in India. The survey questionnaire included 34 questions, comprising multiple-choice and 5-point Likert scale-type questions. This study composed of 972 respondents. Most respondents considered antibiotics safe and frequently failed to discriminate between the symptoms of bacterial and viral infections, most often leading to self-prescription. About 34% of the rural participants and 50% of the urban participants considered antibiotic resistance a serious health concern. Antibiotic prescriptions by the medical or paramedical practitioner were largely empirical. At least 95% of participants acknowledged having heard about antibiotics; nearly 20% of antibiotic consumption came from nonprescription users, while 30% had not completed their antibiotic therapy for a variety of reasons. Sixty-two percent consumed antibiotics to treat cold and flu symptoms. Results from the survey suggest the presence of a crucial gap between the respondents' perception of antibiotics and levels of information regarding antibiotic use and misuse. The present study may serve as a benchmark that strongly recommends a financially feasible policy, which includes educating society regarding the spread of AMR and its severe consequences by incorporating AMR into the curriculum at the levels of senior secondary school and higher education.

TÜRKİYE’DE AKDENİZ BÖLGESİNDE EĞİTİM GÖREN TIP ÖĞRENCİLERİNDE METİLFENİDATIN TIBBİ OLMAYAN KULLANIMI: NİTEL BİR ARAŞTIRMA

Objective
 he misuse of methylphenidate is an important issue
 in the relevant literature. The abuse of these drugs
 for success, especially by high school and university
 students, is quite common at the international level.
 Young people consider these drugs as a savior in
 order to be successful in the exams and to sustain
 with their social life. It is possible that medical
 education is very hard and stressful for students in
 the world. The students feel too much pressure to
 succeed. So, this situation directs students towards
 alternatives that will reduce the pressure, stay awake
 and focus more. This study aims to understand the
 process and usage habits that direct medical students
 to methylphenidate.
 Material and Method
 The study was designed as a qualitative research
 method with an anthropological perspective. Medical
 students' experiences, thoughts, and observations
 on the illicit use of methylphenidate were collected
 by researcher, using the in-depth interviews. The
 study started with face-to-face interviews at the
 end of 2019. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the
 negotiations were completed in February 2022, after
 a long break. The opinions of 17 volunteer students
 who participated in the study were evaluated with a
 descriptive approach.
 Results
 According to our research findings, medical
 students are positive about the non-medical use of
 methylphenidate to save the day, despite its side
 effects. The use of the drug increases especially
 during exam periods. It is seen that drugs are as
 an easy alternative for students. The medicines are
 mostly provided from other friends who still use them.
 In addition, the drug is also used for weight loss. It is
 a fact that its effects are exaggerated and advertised
 among non-prescription users. The results of our
 research are similar with international ones.
 Conclusion
 There are very few studies on the illicit use of
 psychomotor stimulants in our country. The findings
 prove that medical students need healthy and
 sustainable alternatives to cope with the stress and
 pressure on them. It is thought that this study will be
 a basis for determining the long-term negative effects
 of misuse of the drugs and taking precautions. The
 research is a preliminary assessment to explore the
 current situation. It is clear that there is a need for
 more information, quantitative and qualitative data in
 the field.

Patterns and Knowledge of Nonmedical Use of Stimulants Among College Students

To determine patterns and knowledge of nonmedical use of stimulants among a sample of college students. Completion of an anonymous survey consisting of 23 questions designed to explore college student use of medications intended to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. A private liberal arts college in New England. Three hundred forty-seven undergraduate students. Nonmedical use of stimulants. Thirty-one students (9.2%) reported nonmedical stimulant use. Two hundred forty students (71.4%) had peers who used nonprescribed stimulants, 149 (44.3%) knew of peers who made stimulant medication-seeking visits to a physician although they did not believe that they had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and 178 (53.0%) knew of people who sold stimulants to students. Nonprescription users were significantly more knowledgeable about the effects of stimulants than nonusers, and nonusers whose peers used nonprescribed stimulants were more knowledgeable about the effects of stimulants than nonusers whose peers did not use nonprescribed stimulants. After controlling for age, race, and sex, the variables that predicted nonmedical use of stimulants were beliefs that stimulants help individuals study better, stay awake, and lose weight. A substantial proportion of college students in this sample were using nonprescribed stimulants. Among nonusers, those whose peers use nonprescribed stimulants were much more knowledgeable about the effects of stimulant use than those whose peers do not use stimulants. This knowledge may confer an increased risk of future nonmedical stimulant use if students become tempted to seek the beneficial effects experienced by their peers.