scholarly journals Alcohol and Tobacco Use Among Undergraduate and Postgraduate Medical Students in India: A Multicentric Cross-sectional Study

Author(s):  
Nidhi Goel ◽  
Vivek Khandelwal ◽  
Kapil Pandya ◽  
Atul Kotwal

Background: Substance use among medical fraternity is a well-known phenomenon among both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical students. Yet, there have been very few multi-centric studies to estimate the actual burden of this problem in this important population group in India. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use, assess the knowledge and attitudes towards this issue, and identify factors associated with substance use among UG and PG medical students in India.Methods: A pre-tested, self-report, anonymous questionnaire was administered to medical undergraduates and post graduate medical residents of eight medical colleges across India. This study used a convenience sample of medical colleges with random selection of study participants within each college for each group, UG and PG.Results: Prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use among UG students was 16.6%, 95% CI [14.5, 18.9] and 8.0%, 95% CI [6.4, 9.6], respectively, whereas prevalence was 31.5%, 95% CI [26.3, 37.0] and 14.5%, 95% CI [10.7, 18.9], respectively for PGs. For both substances, males had a higher prevalence of use compared to females in both groups (p < 0.001). Positive family history of substance use (p < 0.001 for both groups) and early age of initiation (p = 0.011 for tobacco; p > 0.05 for alcohol) were associated with a greater difficulty to quit the habit. Over 90% of study participants felt that substance use adversely affected their skills and reported not using substances prior to managing their patients.Conclusions: Since substance use is a relatively common phenomenon among UG and PG medical students in India, future prospective studies and interventions are required to better understand the pattern of substance use and reduce its prevalence. 

Author(s):  
Marayra Inês França Coury ◽  
João Gabriel Menezes Duca ◽  
Antonio Toledo Júnior

Abstract: Introduction: Recent studies have shown the direct effects of emotional intelligence (EI) on medical practice and, more specifically, on establishing and maintaining a good doctor-patient relationship. The aim was to compare the EI levels of students from different years of medical school and to evaluate other factors that affect EI levels. Method: This was a cross-sectional study of medical students attending the 1st, 3rd and 6th years in a private institution in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. A non-probabilistic convenience sample was used. EI levels were evaluated using the Schutte Self-Report EI Test, and demographic and personal data were collected. All volunteers signed the free and informed consent form prior to study inclusion. Statistical analysis used ANOVA, Student’s t-test, Pearson correlation and linear regression. A significance level of 0.05 was adopted. Results: Two hundred twenty-five volunteers were recruited between October/2017 and April/2018. Sixteen (7.1%) were excluded due to incomplete questionnaires. The final sample comprised 209 participants (71 from the 1st year, 69 from the 3rd year and 69 from the 6th year). Most were women (66.0%), 95.2% were single, 10.0% had previously graduated and 16.3% reported a previous mental disorder diagnosis. The mean age was 23.2 (±3.9) years. There was no difference in the EI overall score and in the different EI domains scores among the students from the three years. Pearson’s test showed a weak positive correlation between age and total score (r=0.172; p=0.013) and perception of emotion (r=0.236; p=0.001). Multiple regression showed a significant positive association between age and the total score (p=0.040), Perception of Emotion (padjusted=0.013) and Managing Others’ Emotions (padjusted=0.020). A significant reduction in the total score (padjusted=0.033), in Managing Own Emotions (padjusted<0.001) and in the Managing Others’ Emotions (padjusted=0.025) was found for volunteers who reported a previous mental disorder. Conclusion: High levels of EI were observed in the 3 years. No association was observed between different EI scores and the course year. There was a positive correlation between age and total EI score, Perception of Emotions, Managing Own Emotions and Managing Others’ Emotions. The presence of a mental disorder was associated with a reduction in the total score and the scores for Managing Own Emotions and Managing Others’ Emotions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1919-24
Author(s):  
Maryam Noshad ◽  
Muhammad Hammad Butt ◽  
Tooba Mehboob ◽  
Irfan Bashir ◽  
Rabia Aslam ◽  
...  

Objective: To track the trends and patterns of psychoactive substance abuse among medical students. Study Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire based study. Place and Duration of Study: Medical Colleges and Universities of Lahore, from Aug to Sep 2019. Methodology: Total 200 medical students from Medical Colleges and Universities were included. The data wereanalyzed and computed using SPSS-21. Frequencies and percentages related to all the factors were computed. Results: Among study participants, 96 (48%) of males and 104 (52%) of females with 154 (77%) of these students belong to 21-25 years of age group. The observed prevalence of substance abuse among students was 42 (21%). Joy seeking and a friend’s offer was the initiation of psychoactive substance use among these students. Tobacco was the most highly consumed substance among students, followed by marijuana. Besides, the results also revealed that students also consumed cocaine and methamphetamine. Among 21% abusers, 4 (9%) and 5 (11%) of the students experienced side effects and withdrawal symptoms respectively. Conclusion: The increasing consumption of tobacco and indulgence in psychoactive drugs are concerning issues because of uncontrolled consumption can cause serious brain damage. Academic burden and stress are the mediators of drug abuse among students. Therefore, stress management training and workshops should be conducted in institutes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-122
Author(s):  
Duygu Kes ◽  
Feray Gökdoğan

Adherence to drug treatment is a multidimensional concept. It is affected by many factors, such as physiological, psychological, family, environmental and social conditions. However, relatively little is known about the relationship between adherence to medication and psychosocial adjustment. The aim was to explore the relationship between adherence to antidiabetic drugs and the psychosocial adjustment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted between March and June 2018. A convenience sample of participants was recruited from seven internal disease outpatient clinics at a public tertiary hospital, located in a large city that serves as a gateway to nearby rural and urban areas in the north-west region of Turkey. Data were collected using the Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS-7), and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale–Self Report (PAIS–SR). This study is reported in accordance with STROBE. Pearson’s correlation analysis found a significant weak positive correlation between all domains of the PAIS–SR and the total scores on the ARMS‐7. The participants’ scores on medication refill were found to be significantly and positively correlated with all of the PAIS–SR domain scores except the sexual relationships domain. Psychosocial care could play a crucial role in improving drug regimen adherence among patients with diabetes. Therefore, nurses should integrate psychosocial care into daily practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 238212051985204
Author(s):  
Erik Langenau ◽  
Sarah B Frank ◽  
Sarah J Calardo ◽  
Michael B Roberts

Introduction: Shadowing a physician is an observational experience which includes a student observing a licensed healthcare provider caring for patients. Shadowing is commonly done by students before and during medical school, but little is known about the nature or extent of these extra-curricular observational experiences. Objective: We hypothesized that shadowing experiences were common yet variable. We investigated the prevalence, nature, and perceived value of medical student experiences with shadowing physicians (both before and during medical school). Methods: This survey-based study was non-experimental with a cross-sectional convenience sample of osteopathic medical students about their shadowing experiences before and during medical school. The survey was sent to all matriculated osteopathic medical students (OMS1-4) for the 2017 to 2018 academic year from two medical schools: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) (1084 total students) and PCOM-Georgia (554 total students). The final survey instrument included three sections: demographics (6 questions), pre-medical shadowing experiences (21 questions), and medical student shadowing experiences (24 questions). Results: Respondents (357) identified themselves as OMS1 (96), OMS2 (89), OMS3 (73), OMS4 (95) and other (2, OMS5) with enrollment at PCOM-Philadelphia (242) and PCOM-Georgia (115). Among survey respondents, 339 (95.5%) reported shadowing a physician as a pre-medical student, and 110 (30.8%) reported shadowing (outside of their required clinical rotations) a physician during medical school. Requirements to participate were inconsistent; fewer than 50% of shadowing experiences required Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) training, proof of vaccination, or purified protein derivative (PPD) documentation. In addition to observation, pre-medical and medical students, respectively, participated in history taking (44 [13%], 47 [42.7%]), physical examinations (45 [13.3%], 44 [40%]) and procedures (13, [3.8%], 20 [18.2%]) during their shadowing experiences. Motivations to participate in shadowing varied between pre-medical and medical student experiences, but both groups mentioned their desire to learn more about a particular discipline, obtain letters of recommendation, and gain patient care experience. Students recommended both pre-medical (273 [80.5%]) and medical school (93 [84.5%]) shadowing to future students. Conclusion: Shadowing remains a common and important tool for students to learn about patient care, medicine and careers. The nature of each shadowing experience and participation requirements are quite variable. Measures to ensure patient safety, confidentiality, liability and supervision are inconsistently applied. Promoting guidelines, as well as codes of conduct, for shadowing could serve as a helpful resource for students, academic advisors and supervising clinicians.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Merinuk ◽  
Stephanie C. Varcoe ◽  
Peter J. Kelly ◽  
Laura D. Robinson

Purpose Substance use disorder (SUD) frequently co-occurs with other psychological conditions, such as eating disorders (EDs). Psychological factors such as emotional dysregulation, rash impulsivity (RI) and reward sensitivity (RS) play a role in the etiology of each disorder, yet little is known about the combined effects of these on comorbid SUDs and EDs or disordered eating behaviours (DEBs). This study aims to examine the role of these psychological factors in comorbid DEBs and SUDs among individuals in treatment for SUDs. The role of gender is tested as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional self-report survey was completed by 131 participants attending Australian residential substance use treatment centres. A binomial logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of emotional dysregulation, RI and RS on comorbid DEB and SUD. Further, moderation analyses were used to examine the moderating effect for gender on the relationship between these three personality variables and comorbidity. Findings The most commonly reported primary substance of use was alcohol (43.5%), followed by amphetamines (38.6%). Findings showed that emotional dysregulation and RI were significantly related to an increase in comorbidity likelihood; however, RS was not. Gender moderated the relationship between comorbidity and RI only. Originality/value The significant positive relationship found between RI and comorbidity for females only was a novel finding for the current study. Further research is needed to develop an understanding of the etiology of comorbidity.


2018 ◽  
Vol Volume 9 ◽  
pp. 887-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hatem Alharbi ◽  
Abulaaziz Almalki ◽  
Fawaz Alabdan ◽  
Bander Hadad

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurlan Brimkulov ◽  
Denis Vinnikov ◽  
Zhamilia Dzhilkiadarova ◽  
Aigerim Aralbaeva

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 371-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Baranowska ◽  
Marta Malinowska ◽  
Ewelina Stanaszek ◽  
Dorota Sys ◽  
Grażyna Bączek ◽  
...  

Background: Extended breastfeeding is rare in Poland, and lack of acceptance and understanding is often evident in public opinion. The ability to provide reliable information about breastfeeding beyond infancy depends on health professionals’ levels of knowledge and attitudes. They are considered by most parents in Poland to be authorities in the field of child nutrition. Research aims: To determine (1) the level of knowledge and the attitudes of Polish health professionals towards extended breastfeeding; (2) the relationship between personal breastfeeding experience and attitudes towards extended breastfeeding; and (3) the relationship between knowledge about breastfeeding beyond twelve months and attitudes towards breastfeeding beyond infancy. Methods: A one-group prospective, cross-sectional, self-report style survey was used. The convenience sample ( N = 495) comprised gynaecologists, neonatologists and midwives. Data were collected via an online questionnaire and the results were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics, a chi-square independence test, Fisher’s exact test, post-hoc testing, and two-part tables using SPSS. Results: Most of the respondents (76.7%; n = 384) had a low level of knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding beyond twelve months and even emphasized that this nutritional choice could have negative impacts. There was a positive correlation ( F = 105.847; p = < .01) between levels of knowledge and respondents’ attitudes towards breastfeeding beyond infancy. Attitudes were also influenced by the length of time respondents had breastfed. Conclusion: Healthcare providers have an insufficient level of knowledge about extended breastfeeding and need further education in this area.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Husam Eldin Elsawi Khalafalla ◽  
Mohamed Salih Mahfouz ◽  
Muath Hassan Ibrahim Najmi ◽  
Sayyaf Abdullah Mohammad Najmi ◽  
Qasem Ali Yahya Arishi ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is one of the most important factors that affect human health; it reduces the chances of hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, breast and colon cancer, and depression.OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to measure prevalence of physical activity and to determine the factors affecting the level of physical activity among medical student in Jazan University.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the students of medical colleges of Jazan University. A random sample of 419 was determined using most recent physical activity prevalence. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection.RESULTS: There is a high prevalence of inactivity among study participants (88.1%). Females (91.7%) were more significantly (p value=0.013) inactive than males (83.8%). The most influential barrier perceived by participants is (heavy) academic work as well as lack of places for physical activity; the latter factor being more effective in hindering female students' physical activity.CONCLUSION: Results revealed that the inactivity rate was very high among medical students. The results of this study call for a well-planned intervention at the university level for improving the level of physical activity among university students.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 734-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Assaf ◽  
Samar Noureddine ◽  
Silva Kouyoumdjian ◽  
Jamil El Khoury

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