ABSTRACT
Objective
This study aims to investigate the prevalence of drug use and related factors in university students. Methods: This study was carried out in Mersin, Turkey. Data forms were filled in by 1767 students.
Results
905 (52.3%) of the 1767 participants were male. Their median age was 21.0, and 120 (6.8%) of the participants were found to have used drugs at least once in a life time; 77 (4.4%of them once in the last year. The coefficients of the increase rates for having used drugs at least once in a lifetime can be listed as follows: Presence of friends in the social environment who use drugs, 10.55 times (p < .001); being an active smoker, 4.78 times (p < .001); active alcohol consumption, 13.36 times (p < .001). The following variables appear to be the coefficients of increase rates for using drugs at least once in the previous year: having somebody who uses drugs around, 12.71 times (p < .001); being an active alcohol consumer, 10.38 times (p < .001) and parental separation, 2.64 times (p < .01).
Conclusions
In this study it was determined that cigarette/alcohol use and the effects of social environment are the most important factors in drug use in university students.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Correction Statement
This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.