[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.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the consumption of illicit drugs among medical students of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.


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, 1.196 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) with less than 6% prevalence from first to fourth and the highest in seventh year (32.4%). Non prescribed antidepressant 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.
Romero
María Inés
MI
Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Santander
Jaime
J
Hitschfeld
Mario Javier
MJ
Labbé
Marcela
M
Zamora
Viviana
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000145:classification; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D001569:Benzodiazepines