title: Substance use among medical students in Kathmandu valley.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Substance use including tobacco and alcohol is the most important cause of preventable morbidity, disability, and premature mortality. The study aims to specify the prevalence and the pattern of use of different substance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study was performed amongst first year and final year students in four medical colleges in Kathmandu using self administered anonymous questionnaire.Data collectedfrom 446 students were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of substance use was found to be 60.3% among the medical students. Alcohol (57.6%) was the substance most prevalently used followed by tobacco (27.58%) and cannabis (12.8%). Mean age of first exposure was 17.94 (Confidence interval: 17.91-17.97). There was significant difference in the useof tobacco and cannabis amongst final year students than first year students. Male and female differed significantly in use of every substance except for benzodiazepine. Medical college, college and school were place of first exposure in 17.26%, 15.92% and 13.23% of the cases respectively. Family history was associated with substance use in medical students and was statistically significant (P<0.0001).Experimentation was the major reason for the use of most of the substances.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substance use is prevalent in male medical students of both first and final year. Hence steps should be initiated early in school, college and medical college to prevent substance use.
authors: Institute of Medicine, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal. docpkhanal@gmail.com
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Khanal
authors: R H
authors: RH
authors: Ghimire
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Gautam
authors: S K
authors: SK
authors: Dhungana
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Parajuli
authors: A K
authors: AK
authors: Jaiswal
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Khanal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D013337:Students, Medical; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*