Substance use Pattern Analysis among Spanish Medical Students

Abstract

Background and objectives Substance use and the increasing consumption of energy drinks are currently severe social health problems, and medical students are not an exception.

The study's aims are to know the prevalence of different legal and illegal substances consumption among them (energy drinks included), and to evaluate different consequences and their aims for using them. Prevalence rates were compared to other national and international medical student samples and to general population of the same age range.

Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 168 medicine students in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria who responded a survey on their substances use.

Results Almost all of the study participants (162 (96.4%)) had ever tried/taken alcohol in their lifetime, 131 (78%) had consumed energy drinks, 109 (64.9%) had taken tobacco and 86 (51.2%) had taken cannabis. Main consequences included hangover 120 (71.4%), nausea or vomiting 100 (59.5%), and repenting of something done under the effect of substances 70 (41.7%). Looking for an improvement of their academic performance, 96 (57.1%) and 76 (45.2%) of medical students admitted having increased substance use and energy drinks consumption respectively.

Conclusions The prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, anxiolytics and amphetamines abuse is higher among medical students as compared to the general population. Energy drinks are widespread used (specifically higher for males). Almost half of medical students acknowledged having increased their consumption to improve test scores.