Robust Resilience and Substantial Interest: A Survey of Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement among University Students in the UK and Ireland

Qualitative work with students who use prescription medicines for academic purposes is limited. Thus, a more nuanced understanding of tertiary students’ experiences is urgently needed. Our study – which draws on five semi-structured interviews with New Zealand university students, complemented with information from local newspapers, blog entries and discussion forums – reveals students’ motivations and perceived effects, their risk perceptions and provides insights into the circumstances enabling the engagement with prescription medicines for academic purposes. Students were influenced by peers and social norms; and ideas about identity, morality and fairness also played a role for engaging with cognitive enhancers. Students used high levels of stress and workload to justify their use but took individual responsibility for their practices. By taking responsibility in this way, rather than considering it as a product of their environment, they buy into the neoliberal university discourse. Unexpectedly, some participants were already receiving medically justified psychopharmacological treatment but extended and supplemented this with nonmedical use. Others considered their use as being for academic emergencies, and that their low level of use helped manage risks. Overall, students viewed pharmacological cognitive enhancement for improving academic performance as cautious, safe, and morally acceptable. We argue in this paper that a local understanding of students’ motivations, justifications and perceptions of pharmacological cognitive enhancement is required, to tailor policies and support systems better to their needs and behaviours.

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Swiss University Students’ Attitudes toward Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0144402 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. e0144402 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Larissa J. Maier ◽

Evangelia Liakoni ◽

Jan Schildmann ◽

Michael P. Schaub ◽

Matthias E. Liechti

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Cognitive Enhancement ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement

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University students’ understanding and perceptions of schizophrenia in the UK: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025813 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. e025813

Author(s):

Charlotte Cadge ◽

Charlotte Connor ◽

Sheila Greenfield

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

University Students ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Health Campaigns ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

African Caribbean ◽

Lay Understanding ◽

The Uk ◽

The University

ObjectiveTo explore lay understanding and perceptions of schizophrenia in university students.DesignQualitative study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis.SettingThe University of Birmingham, West Midlands.Participants20 UK home students of white British (n=5), Indian (n=5), Pakistani (n=5), African Caribbean (n=4) and dual white British and African Caribbean ethnicity (n=1).ResultsFindings revealed a lack of knowledge about schizophrenia, particularly the negative symptoms that were not mentioned. There were mixed ideas on the causes and sources of available help for schizophrenia; however, positively many said they would consult their general practitioner. While there was a general misconception among the students that schizophrenia caused multiple personalities and was a dangerous illness, there were some differences in perceptions and understanding between ethnic groups, with more Indian students perceiving upbringing as a causal factor in the development of the illness and more Pakistani students perceiving possession by a spirit as a cause.ConclusionsThe university students interviewed lacked knowledge about schizophrenia and stigma was widespread, both of which may delay help-seeking. Public health campaigns educating young people about schizophrenia are required to improve early identification and intervention and improve outcomes. Further research exploring ways to effectively tackle stigma is also required.

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Psychometric properties of the stress control mindset measure in university students from Australia and the UK

Brain and Behavior ◽

10.1002/brb3.1963 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob J. Keech ◽

Sheina Orbell ◽

Martin S. Hagger ◽

Frances V. O’Callaghan ◽

Kyra Hamilton

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Stress Control ◽

The Uk

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Meningococcal ACWY vaccine uptake and awareness among student freshers enrolled at Northern Ireland universities

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh-2016-0087 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Peter J.A. Moore ◽

B. Cherie Millar ◽

John E. Moore

Keyword(s):

Northern Ireland ◽

University Students ◽

Vaccination Programme ◽

Vaccination Campaign ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

Meningococcal Group ◽

Males And Females ◽

The Uk ◽

Communication Modalities ◽

First Time

Abstract A new MenACWY conjugate meningococcal vaccination programme was introduced in Northern Ireland (NI) in August 2015, for 13–18 year olds, as well as for first-time university entrants up to 25 years. This reflected the response made by Public Health England, due to the recent rapid increase of meningococcal group W (MenW) disease and on advice of the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The aims of this study were to evaluate (i) the uptake of the MenACWY vaccine among first-time university students, (ii) vaccine and meningitis awareness, (iii) optimal communication modalities via a multidisciplinary team (MDT) model and (iv) current international vaccination policies relating to non-UK students. A survey was completed by 1210 students, 868 first-time freshers and 342 non-freshers, from healthcare-related, non-healthcare-related and engineering/computing faculties. The survey included an anonymous questionnaire and consented students were aged 17–50 years with a 2:3 ratio of male:female. Vaccine uptake amongst 18-year-old students was 90.7% and 87.3% in female and male cohorts, respectively, falling to 72.1% and 67.7% (19-year cohort) and 32.7% and 39.6% (20- to 25-year cohort) in males and females, respectively. Students reported that posters, clinics and talks were the preferred methods of communication and not social media. There was general lack of awareness of the signs/symptoms of meningitis and approximately 30% of students falsely believed that administration of the MenACWY vaccine excluded the risk of contracting meningitis. Overall, there was a successful vaccination campaign; however, there was a lack of meningitis awareness. Due to differing international meningococcal vaccination schedules, international students enrolling at UK universities need to be informed about current UK policies. For the successful introduction of any vaccination programme amongst university students, it is fundamental that a MDT is established to inform and deliver such a programme in an efficient and timely manner.

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University students’ behaviours towards accessing sexual health information and treatment

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1177/0956462419828866 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (7) ◽

pp. 671-679

Author(s):

Benjamin J Gray ◽

Adam T Jones ◽

Zoë Couzens ◽

Tracey Sagar ◽

Debbie Jones

Keyword(s):

Sexual Health ◽

University Students ◽

Health Information ◽

Family Doctor ◽

The Internet ◽

Apparent Lack ◽

Family Doctors ◽

Sexual Health Information ◽

Sexual Health Clinics ◽

The Uk

Globally, it is widely recognised that young people (those under the age of 25 years) are at a higher risk of developing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The majority of university students studying in the UK fall within this age bracket, and to help prevent such high incidence of STIs in this age group, it is essential that advice and treatment, if required, are obtained from reliable sources. This study sought to explore sources of sexual heath advice and treatment for students at Welsh universities (n = 3007). The main sources of advice were identified as the internet (49.1%) and GP/family doctors (38.9%), whilst local sexual health clinics (24.9%) and GP/family doctor services (20.2%) were the main sources for treatment in students. Males were more likely than females to report never needing advice (AOR 2.74; CI = 2.24–3.35) or requiring treatment (AOR 1.37; CI = 1.17–1.60). The apparent lack of engagement with these services by male students is a cause for concern, although one possible solution could be to further develop online methods to increase uptake of testing. Furthermore, the popularity of the internet for advice provides a timely reminder that regulation of online sexual health information is critical.

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