Medical students and stimulants; they have enough knowledge but they still use non prescribed stimulants

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Medical university students are more likely to use non-prescribed stimulants, due to the claim that some of these drugs may improve learning abilities and concentration. Side effects of non-prescribed stimulants in healthy young adults are not so far widely studied. The present cross-sectional survey demonstrates the prevalence of stimulants misuse and the characteristics of non-prescribed users among Iranian medical students.

Materials and Methods

Healthy medical students were asked to fill a validated researcher-administered questionnaire about their previous stimulant use. Both online and printed versions of the questionnaire were available for the students.

Results

Among 301 medical students, 157 students (52.2%) reported misusing stimulant agents. The most common stimulant was methylphenidate, with a prevalence of 46.5%. Compared to non-users, stimulant users were more likely to smoke (p < .05). Among the non-prescribed users, 31.8% reported being tempted to reuse stimulants, 89.8% were aware of the complications of stimulants before use, and 54.1% reported recommending the stimulants to others.

Conclusion

The findings of the present emphasize the necessity of focusing on psychoeducational programs for medical students, alongside increasing awareness about possible side effects of stimulants.

KEYWORDS:

• Stimulants
• medical students
• methylphenidate

Disclosure statement

The authors do not have any conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The Mashhad University of Medical Sciences supported this work.