Alcohol and drug use in second-year medical students at the University of Leeds

OBJECTIVE: In view of recent media attention concerning the high level of alcohol and drug use reported in a group of newly qualified junior doctors, the aim of the present study was to assess the alcohol and drug habits of a group of current medical students. METHODS: Information about alcohol and illicit drug use was obtained from 136 second-year medical students (46 men, 90 women) at the University of Leeds by means of a personally administered questionnaire. Levels of anxiety and depression were also assessed. RESULTS: 86% of the students drank alcohol and among those who drank, a high proportion (52.6% of the men and 50.6% of the women), exceeded the recommended weekly limit of alcohol consumption of 21 units for men and 14 units women per week). Illicit drug use was reported by 33.1% of students (28.3% of men, 35.6% of women). The drug most commonly used was cannabis. According to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, 41.2% of the students (37% of men, 43.3% of women) had anxiety ratings within the clinically significant range (HAD scale> 8); 9.5% of students demonstrated clinically significant levels of depression (HAD scale> 8). However, these high levels of anxiety and depression did not correlate with high levels of alcohol consumption or drug use.     

Prevalence of illicit drug use among youth: results from the Australian School Students' Alcohol and Drugs Survey

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of illicit drug use among Australian secondary school students. METHOD: Data was collected as part of the Australian School Student's Alcohol and Drugs Survey, a national survey of 29,447 secondary school students. RESULTS: Of all students aged 12-17 years, 39.9% (44.1% of males and 35.9% of females) reported having used at least one illicit drug in their lifetime. Cannabis was the most widely used illicit drug with 36.4% of all students reporting having used cannabis. Substantially fewer students reported using other drugs: hallucinogens (8.6%), amphetamines (6.1%), cocaine (3.6%), ecstasy (3.6%), opiates (3.7%) and steroids (1.8%). There were clear gender and age differences in the prevalence of illicit drug use: more males than females reported illicit drug use and the lifetime prevalence of illicit drug use increased with age. Most of those who reported illicit drug use had used drugs on relatively few occasions although there was a small minority of the sample who reported more frequent use. Finally, there were strong association between regular cannabis use and the use of other illicit drugs in the past year, and moderate associations between illicit drug use and the extent of both tobacco and alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this, the first national survey of illicit drug use among Australian school students, indicate a high prevalence of illicit drug use. Comparisons with previous regionally based surveys suggest there may have been a recent increase in the prevalence of cannabis use and highlight the need for further monitoring of and prevention efforts aimed at reducing illicit drug use among students.     

Cohort trends in the age of initiation of drug use in Australia

AIM: To examine birth cohort trends in the prevalence of use and the age of initiation of use of: alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, amphetamines, LSD, and heroin. METHOD: Data were taken from the 1998 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, a survey of a representative sample of Australians aged 14 years and over. Nine five-year cohorts were examined among persons born between 1940 and 1984. The weighted prevalence of use by ages 15 years, 21 years, and lifetime use, was estimated, as was the average age of first use among users. The significance of trends was tested using logistic regression (for lifetime use, use by 15 and 21 years) and linear regression (for age of first use). RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use was similar among all birth cohorts. The prevalence of illicit drug use--cannabis, amphetamines, LSD and heroin--increased with successive birth cohorts and more recent birth cohorts reported using licit and illicit drugs at a younger age. CONCLUSIONS: More recent cohorts are more likely to use illicit drugs at some point in their lives. Greater numbers of persons from more recent birth cohorts may be at risk of developing substance-related problems.     

An update on British medical students' lifestyles

Information about medical students' lifestyles was obtained from 785 second-year students from seven medical schools in Great Britain by a personally administered questionnaire. Fifteen per cent of the students were non-drinkers. Among those who drank, 48% of the men and 38% of the women exceeded sensible weekly limits of alcohol consumption, and high-risk levels of consumption were reported by 12% of men and 7% of women. Cannabis had been used at least once or twice by more than half the men and 40% of the women, and 10% reported regular use (weekly or more often). Experience with other illicit drugs was also reported: amphetamines (8% of students), LSD (7%), ecstasy (4%), amyl/butyl nitrate (10%) and magic mushrooms (7%). Nineteen per cent of the students had used two or more different drugs. Experience with illicit drugs started before entering university in more than a third of those who used them. Comparison of the results with other student surveys suggests that the lifestyles of medical students differ little from those of other student groups, but that alcohol and illicit drug consumption is increasing in university students generally. Prospective studies are under way to establish whether medical students change their lifestyles at later stages of their course and after qualification.     

The family study: a model for integrating the individual and community perspective in medical education

The principles of and experience with a family study and survey undertaken by first-year medical students are reported. The family study is based on the observations made by pairs of students on a selected family, which includes a pregnant mother, in the Newcastle upon Tyne area. These observations include the family context, the pregnancy, the early development of the new-born baby, and the use of health and other services. The family survey records and analyses relevant data on the collective group of selected families. The family study acts as a preparation for clinical understanding by emphasizing the individual or family view. In addition, students learn that the collective epidemiological approach provided by the survey can guide the clinical impression gained from the observational study, yet each individual and family remains unique. An early opportunity is therefore provided for students to explore and integrate these two approaches.     

Regional differences in alcohol consumption, alcohol addiction and drug use among Swedish adults

Introduction: Alcohol consumption and drug use, as well as alcohol- and drug-related problems, vary considerably in different regions in Sweden, and between men and women of different ages. AIM: The aim of the present study was to examine the regional, gender and socioeconomic distribution of risk consumption of alcohol, alcohol dependency and drug use in a random sample in Sweden. Material and METHODS: In both May 2003 and 2004, 7200 gender-stratified adults (a total of 14,400), randomly selected from 12 regions in Sweden, were contacted by mail, and asked to fill out an enclosed questionnaire. The questionnaire concerned use of alcohol, alcohol-related problems, and use of illicit drugs. RESULTS: Heavy alcohol consumption and cannabis use were more frequent in the south of Sweden than in the north, and the further north, the lower the frequency. Alcohol and drug use decreased with age, and was higher for men than for women. On average, 11.5% of all men and 5.0% of all women consumed alcohol intensively at least weekly, 8.6% of men and 4.5% of women had a generally high alcohol consumption, 4.1% of men and 2.5% of women were alcohol addicted, and 2.9% of men and 1.3% of women had used cannabis during the last 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: High alcohol consumption and use of illegal drugs seem to be more prevalent in those parts of Sweden that are closer to the European continent. In our opinion, this might be an effect of the closeness to other European countries with lower prices for alcohol, less strict alcohol control policies, and higher availability of drugs. Consideration of regional, gender and age differences in problems related to alcohol and drugs seem to be important in the planning and development of preventive activities.     

Role of employment or scholar status and gender: Drug use among 18 to 25 year-olds in France in 2005

BackgroundIn France, drug use levels of college students remain quite unknown, mainly because of the lack of representative samples of this specific part of the population. There is also a lack of studies concerning gender and drug use.MethodsThe Health barometer 2005 is a wide national telephone survey which is representative of the 12–75-year-olds (n = 30,514). Among the 18–25-year-olds, 1290 students were surveyed, besides 1480 employed and 538 unemployed people. Various licit and illicit drug use levels of these three groups were compared using logistic regression models for men and women, controlling for age, level of diploma, category of area of residence, living in couple, religion and type of phone equipment. These results were compared with those obtained in the Health Barometer 2000, with exactly the same variables and definitions.ResultsAnalysis showed that among women, alcohol and cannabis use as well as drunkenness were more frequent among unemployed and college students than among workers. For men, drug use, and especially illicit drug use, appeared more frequent among unemployed. As a consequence, gender differences for alcohol and cannabis use were lower among students than among workers or unemployed. For both sexes, logistic models controlling for age showed that alcohol consumption as well as daily tobacco smoking were less frequent among students than among employed people, contrarily to drunkenness and cannabis use. For almost all drug uses, differences between genders are smaller among students. Except for alcohol and tobacco use, these differences disappeared when controlling for other sociodemographic variables. Compared with data from year 2000, differences among the three groups appeared smaller, especially for drunkenness and cannabis smoking among college students.ConclusionAlchol and tobacco uses are less frequent among students than active people, employed or not, but there is no significant difference for drunkenness and cannabis use. For both genders, unemployment is associated with increased levels of drug use, but pursuing higher education is associated with an increased level of alcohol and cannabis use among women, which is not the case among men.     

Student perceptions of the learning environment in a new medical school

Students' perceptions of their learning environment in the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Newcastle were tested in 1979, in the second year of the school's existence, when the first two cohorts of students were surveyed. It was thought important to re-test those same cohorts in 1982, when they were in the later years of the curriculum, to see whether their perceptions had changed, and also to test the perceptions of subsequent cohorts of students (still in the earlier years of the course) to examine whether the favourable perceptions of the earlier cohorts were being maintained. Accordingly, this paper reports the results of a cross-sectional study undertaken on all five years of Newcastle medical students in 1982, and it compares their perceptions with those obtained 3 years earlier.     

Interactional skills of students from traditional and non-traditional medical schools before and after alcohol education

OBJECTIVE: To compare alcohol-related intervention and general interactional skills performance of medical students from a traditional (Sydney) and a non-traditional (Newcastle) medical school, before and after participation in an alcohol education programme about brief intervention. DESIGN: In two controlled trials, students received either a didactic alcohol education programme or didactic input plus skills-based training. Prior to and after training, all students completed videotaped interviews with simulated patients. SETTING: The Faculties of Medicine at the University of Newcastle and the University of Sydney, Australia. SUBJECTS: Fifth-year medical students (n=154). RESULTS: Both alcohol-related intervention and general interactional skills scores of the Newcastle students were significantly higher than those of the Sydney students at pre-test but not after training. Although alcohol-related interactional skills scores improved after training at both universities, they did not reach a satisfactory level. The educational approach used had no effect on post-test scores at either university. CONCLUSIONS: Significant baseline differences in interactional skills scores favouring non-traditional over traditional students were no longer evident after both groups had been involved in an alcohol education programme. Further research is required to develop more effective alcohol intervention training methods.     

Drug and alcohol use in Spain: consumption habits, attitudes and opinions

To estimate the lifetime prevalence of drug and alcohol use and its sociodemographic determinants and to investigate opinions towards drug use in Spain, we examined a representative nation-wide sample of 2495 adult Spaniards, males and females, aged 18 y or older, selected by a multistaged random strategy during 1989. Information was obtained by at-home interviews using a structured closed questionnaire. Participants were asked for their lifetime prevalence of use of cannabis, sedatives and sleeping pills, alcohol, amphetamines, inhalants, cocaine and heroin, as well as for their sociodemographic characteristics and their opinions towards drug use. Alcohol had the highest lifetime prevalence of consumption (55.7%), followed by cannabis (12.3%), sedatives and sleeping pills (12.0%), amphetamines (4.3%), cocaine (3.0%), inhalants (0.8%) and heroin (0.6%). Being male, young, separated or divorced, and unemployed were the main determinants of alcohol and drug use. A higher use of illicit drugs was also observed in the higher socio-economic groups. Regular use of any drug was considered a risky health habit by more than 80% of the sample. We conclude that the consumption of drugs and alcohol is a rather extended habit in Spain. Drug users tend to share some common sociodemographic characteristics (being male, young, separated or divorced, and unemployed) which may help target intervention programs.     

Factors associated with drug and alcohol use among university students

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies show an alarming rate of alcohol and drug use among university students. The objective of this study was to assess the level of association between lifestyle and socioeconomic status and the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, medicine, and "illicit drug" use in the last 12 months among university students. METHODS: The sample included 926 undergraduate students in the Biology Department of a university in S?o Paulo who completed an anonymous, self-applied questionnaire in 2000 and 2001. Anova and Chi-square tests were applied to verify the correlation between substance use and variables. RESULTS: Among students who reported having a religion, alcohol consumption was 83.1%, tobacco use 20.7%, and "illicit drugs" 24.6% during this period. Among students who reported not having a religion, reported alcohol use was higher in the last 12 months: alcohol (89.3%), tobacco (27.7%) and "illicit drugs" (37.7%). Monthly family income was related to alcohol and "illicit drug" use (p<0.001 for both). The students who used tobacco and "illicit drugs" reported more free time during the week than students who didn't smoke during the period of time analyzed (p=0.033 and p=0.008, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Psychoactive drug use was common among students, indicating a need for policies to be implemented with the goal of reducing consumption. Students with higher family income and without religion should be considered to be at higher risk for alcohol and drug use among this group.     

The need for teaching in medical audit: a survey in one medical school

Summary: Summary. A questionnaire survey was carried out among senior clinical teachers at Newcastle upon Tyne Medical School, UK about their current practice and attitudes toward the teaching of medical audit in the undergraduate curriculum. A response rate of 88% was achieved. Less than a fifth of respondents provided such teaching, but the majority were in favour of seeing the topic introduced. A variety of teaching methods were used, and feedback from students was generally favourable. A number of concerns were expressed, including the problem of curriculum overload, the timing of the teaching, and the need to ensure that the learning was experiential with a minimum of theoretical teaching. Those who were in favour of introducing such teaching, or who were unsure, were also concerned about pressures on curricular time, but some felt in addition that the topic was more appropriately a postgraduate one. A short attitude scale demonstrated a skew towards favourable attitudes among the whole group. The implications of the survey for teaching about audit and quality are discussed.     

Prevalences and perceptions of licit and illicit drugs among New South Wales secondary school students, 1989

Abstract: This paper presents findings on drug prevalences for licit and illicit drugs among New South Wales secondary school students (n = 3753) in late 1989. It also considers the accuracy of students' perceptions of the drug causing the most and fewest drug-related deaths. Data were analysed by age and gender, using logistic regression for the prevalence data. Findings indicate that licit drugs (tobacco, alcohol and analgesics) were the most frequently and widely used. Rates for illicit drugs were low, although there was some degree of experimental use of cannabis which increased amongst older males. Perceptions were found to be inaccurate in emphasising the dangers of the illicit drug heroin over those of the licit drugs tobacco and alcohol. Reasons for these findings are discussed, and more in-depth research recommended into the relationship between drug prevalences and perceptions for different age groups, and its relevance for planning drug prevention initiatives.     

Licit and illicit substance use patterns among university students in Germany using cluster analysis

Background

The use of multiple licit and illicit substances plays an important role in many university students’ lives. Previous research on multiple substance use patterns of university students, however, often fails to examine use of different illicit substances and/or hookah. Our objective was to complement and advance the current knowledge about common consumption patterns regarding illicit substances and hookah use in this group.

Methods

Students from eight German universities completed an online survey as part of the INSIST study (‘INternet-based Social norms Intervention for the prevention of substance use among STudents’) regarding their consumption of alcohol, tobacco, hookah, cannabis and other illicit substances. Cluster analysis identified distinct consumption patterns of concurrent and non-concurrent substance use and multinomial logistic regressions described key sociodemographic factors associated with these clusters.

Results

Six homogeneous groups were identified: ‘Alcohol Abstainers’ (10.8%), ‘Drinkers Only’ (48.2%), ‘Drinkers and Cigarette Smokers’ (14.6%), ‘Cannabis and Licit Substance Users’ (11.2%), ‘Hookah Users with Co-Use’ (9.8%) and ‘Illicit Substance Users with Co-Use’ (5.4%). Illicit substance use clustered with the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis. Hookah use was regularly associated with alcohol consumption, less commonly associated with tobacco or cannabis use and very rarely associated with use of other illicit substances. Individuals consuming licit and illicit substances or hookah were mostly male and lived together with other students. Characteristics such as the number of years an individual had spent studying at a university, subject of study, immigrant background and religious affiliation were less commonly associated with cluster membership.

Conclusions

Although we found substance use patterns in our sample largely similar to previous reports, we identified an important subgroup of individuals using both illicit and licit substances. These individuals may benefit especially from targeted interventions that focus on modifying addictive behavior patterns.

Trial registration

DRKS00007635. Registered 17 December 2014 (retrospectively registered).

     

Attitudes towards community medicine: a comparison of students from traditional and community-oriented medical schools

OBJECTIVE: To compare the attitudes towards community medicine of first and final year students from two Australian medical schools. METHOD: In 1995, medical students from Newcastle University (a problem-based, community-oriented curriculum) and Adelaide University (a more traditional lecture-based curriculum) were asked to complete the Attitudes to Community Medicine questionnaire. This is a valid and reliable 35 item survey assessing six key domains of community medicine. The two medical schools differ in their methods of selection and curriculum delivery, and also in curriculum content. RESULTS: Response rates averaged 95% for first year and 81% for final year students. Students selected into both medical schools were found to have positive attitudes with respect to most aspects of community medicine. However, those entering Newcastle had more positive attitudes toward community medicine overall than their Adelaide counterparts. They also scored more positively on subscales relating to holistic care and evaluation of health care interventions. Students who were older and female scored more positively on some subscales, but correction for age and gender did not change the conclusions about medical school differences. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that selection criteria, and probably curriculum style and emphasis, have an influence on the attitudes that medical students possess and later develop toward community medicine.     

Consumption of tobacco, alcohol, psychotropic drugs and illegal drugs in high school students of the department in the Upper Pyrenees

A study was conducted on a representative sample of high school students in Hautes-Pyrénées, to measure their consumption of toxics (tobacco, alcohol, psychotropic and illicit drugs) and to explore the role of selected explanatory factors. Consumption levels were high, particularly for tobacco: 45% were smoker and 4% smoked more than 15 cigarettes each day. Less than 5% were alcohol daily consumers. Technical school students are a high risk population when they are 16 years old or less. Evening out represents a risk indicator: use of toxics is more frequent for students having twice evenings out each month or more. Prevention should be global, including the adolescents concerned and adults.     

Use of psychoactive drugs by health sciences undergraduate students at the Federal University in Amazonas, Brazil

A survey was conducted with 521 undergraduate health sciences students from the Federal University in Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil. Lifetime alcohol consumption was reported by 87.7% students, as compared to 30.7% for tobacco, with the latter reported more frequently by males (39.7%). The most common illicit drugs were solvents (11.9%), marijuana (9.4%), amphetamines and anxiolytics (9.2% each), cocaine (2.1%), and hallucinogens (1.2%). The main reason for illicit drug use was curiosity. Lifetime use of anabolic steroids was reported by 2.1% of the students. Alcohol abuse in the previous 30 days was reported by 12.4% of the students. Events following drinking included: fights (4.7%), accidents (2.4%), classroom absenteeism (33.7%), and job absenteeism (11.8%). Another important finding was that 47.3% of students drove after drinking. Opinions on drug abuse and patterns agree with those from similar studies in other regions of Brazil.     

Caffeine Intake among Undergraduate Students: Sex Differences,Sources, Motivations,and Associations with Smoking Status and Self-Reported Sleep Quality

Due to its stimulatory effects, caffeine is one of the most frequently consumed mood and behavior altering drugs. University students report using caffeine-containing products to enhance mood and performance or for a desire of alertness. The current study investigated caffeine consumption in university undergraduate students, and associations with smoking status, alcohol and cannabis consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption, and sleep quality. Motivations for caffeine intake were also ascertained. A total of 886 undergraduates aged 18–25 years from the University of the Balearic Islands participated in a cross-sectional survey. Caffeine was consumed by 91.1% of participants. Caffeine consumers were more likely to be female, smokers, and alcohol and cannabis consumers. Coffee was found to be the main source of caffeine intake in both men and women (48.9% of total caffeine intake). Higher percentages of women consumed coffee (56.4 vs. 42.1%, p = 0.01) and tea (40.3 vs. 19.8%, p < 0.001), whereas a higher percentage of men consumed energy drinks (18.0 vs. 7.4%, p < 0.001). Main motivations for caffeine intake were those related to cognitive enhancement. Caffeine intake was associated with poorer subjective sleep quality (p < 0.001). In conclusion, undergraduate students that were female and smokers reported higher caffeine intakes. Coffee was found as the main caffeine contributor, with higher contributions of tea in women and energy drinks in men. Universities should consider the implementation of health campaigns and educational programs to educate students of the risks of high caffeine consumption together with associated behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and poor sleep quality to physical health and academic performance.