title: [Illicit and psychotropic drug use among medical students at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: María Inés
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santander
authors.forename: Mario Javier
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hitschfeld
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Labbé
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zamora
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D001569:Benzodiazepines