Investigation of frequency and factors related to drug use in male students living in dormitories

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Students living in dormitories are more exposed to social harms due to a variety of reasons, including distance from family and educational problems. In this study, the frequency of drug use and its related factors in male students living in dormitories was investigated.

Materials and methods

In a cross-sectional study, 270 male dormitory students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences were selected, and they were interviewed in terms of their drug use.

Results

Hookah (41.5%), cigarettes (35.5%), alcohol (24.1%), sedatives (20%), hypnotics (13%) and marijuana (13) were the most commonly used drugs in students. In total, 49.6% of cigarettes and hookahs). Lack of amusement and entertainment (25.2%), stress (14.1%), depression (11.9%) and love failure (11.5%) were the most important reasons for students’ tendency to use drugs.

There was a statistically significant relationship between drug use and marital status, education of parents and field of study.

Conclusion

Due to the nature of the study, the obtained statistics are less than the reality and therefore, we must seriously make policy and plan to solve this social problem and prevent its dire consequences.

KEYWORDS:

• Medical student
• drug use
• dormitory

Acknowledgments

This article is taken from the university student research project approved by the Vice Chancellery for Research and Technology of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, No. 980120166. All people who participated and assisted in the implementation of the study and data collection are appreciated and thanked. The results of this study do not conflict with the interests of the authors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences.