[Prevalence of the drug consumption among Chilean university students]. / Estudio cuantitativo del consumo de drogas y factores sociodemográficos asociados en estudiantes de una universidad tradicional chilena.

BACKGROUND: Drug abuse is one of the main public health problems and mostly involves young people. AIM: To determine the prevalence of drug consumption among university students and its associated social factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire exploring consumption of drugs and social-demographic, economic and religious variables, was applied to 1577 third year students aged 22 ± 2 years (54% females) of a public university. RESULTS: Sixty eight percent of the students were of middle socioeconomic class, 71 % belonged to some religion and 29% declared themselves as agnostic. Ninety six percent drank alcohol at least once and 29% never smoked. Among illicit drugs, marijuana was consumed by 22% followed by cocaine in 5.3%o, hallucinogenic drugs in 2.6 % >, inhalants in 2.3% > and cocaine free base in 1.4%). Six percent consumed stimulants and 13.8%>, sedatives. A higher economic income facilitated drug consumption and the adscription to a religion was protective against it. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol is the most commonly consumed drug, and is the substance that generates more problems to students.

Estudio cuantitativo del consumo de drogas y factores sociodemográficos asociados en estudiantes de una universidad tradicional chilena / Prevalence of the drug consumption among Chilean university students

Background: Drug abuse is one of the main public health problems and mostly involves young people. Aim: To determine the prevalence of drug consumption among university students and its associated social factors. Material ana Methods: A questionnaire exploring consumption of drugs and social-demographic, economic and religious variables, was applied to 1577 third year students aged 22 ±2 years (54 percent females) of a public university. Results: Sixty eight percent of the students were of middle socioeconomic class, 71 percent belonged to some religion and 29 percent declared themselves as agnostic. Ninety six percent drank alcohol at least once and 29 percent never smoked. Among illicit drugs, marijuana was consumed by 22 percent followed by cocaine in 5.3 percento, hallucinogenic drugs in 2.6 percent>, inhalants in 2.3 percent> and cocaine free base in 1.4 percent). Six percent consumed stimulants and 13.8 percent>, sedatives. A higher economic income facilitated drug consumption and the adscription to a religion was protective against it. Conclusions: Alcohol is the most commonly consumed drug, and is the substance that generates more problems to students.