Consumo de sustancias ilícitas y psicotrópicos entre los estudiantes de medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile / Illicit and psychotropic drug use among medical students at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Background: Illicit drug abuse is a public health problem, generally starting in adolescence. Medical students are not an exception. Aim: To assess the consumption of illicit drugs among medical students of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Material and Methods: A questionnaire used by the National Council for the Control of Substance Abuse (CONACE) to evaluate substance use and the Goldberg Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), were applied to medical students. The questionnaires were self administered under supervision. Results: The survey was completed by 569 of 775 students (74%). “Ever used” reached 33% for marijuana, 1.1% for cocaine, 2.1% for amphetamines without prescription, 6.9% for not prescribed benzodiazepines and 5.8% for not prescribed antidepressants. The use of these substances was only associated for ever used marijuana and level of career (p <0.01), with the highest rate in the seventh final year (51.4%). Benzodiazepine use was also associated with the level of career (p <0.01) withless than 6% prevalence from first to fourth and the highest in seventh year (32.4%). Non prescribed antidepessant use was significantly higher among women. Tobacco and alcohol use were associated with consumption of marijuana (p <0.0001) and benzodiazepines (p <0.0001). Conclusions: Our medical students have low marijuana consumption rates, only above Turkey. Cocaine and amphetamines use is low, benzodiazepine consumption is higher among final year students. Antidepressant use is higher among women.

Consumo de tabaco y alcohol entre los estudiantes de medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile / Smoking and alcohol drinking among medical students at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Background: Tobacco and alcohol consumption are public health problems, generally starting in adolescence. Medical students are not an exception. Aim: To determine the characteristics of tobacco and alcohol use among medical students at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and their association with gender, career level and mental health. Material and methods: A questionnaire to evaluate substance use was applied along with Goldberg Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), as a mental health risk predictor, to all medical students in November 2005- Results: The survey was completed by 569 of 775 students (74 percent). Current smokers were 23- 7 percent, with the lowest figure, 13-5 percent in sixth year, and the highest, 40.5 percent in seventh year (p <0.01). Thirty one percent of students with an score of five and over in the GHQ-12 were smokers, compared to 19 percent among those with a lower score. Daily smokers were 40 percento of the current smokers. Seventy four percent of students consumed alcohol during the last month. No association with sex or GHQ-12 was observed. The lowest alcohol consumption rate was observed in second year, and the highest in sixth year (66 percento and 89-2 percento, respectively, p <0.01). Fifty three percent of men and 26 percento of women drank three or more drinks in any given day (p <0.01). Sixty three percent of men and 81 percent of women never drank more than five drinks in one day, during the last month (p <0.01). Conclusions: Our medical students smoke less than Chilean youth but more than medical students of countries such as the USA. They drink less than Anglo-Saxon medical students but more than Chilean youth. Male consumption is greater than that of women. Smoking and alcohol drinking are mutually associated.