title: Prevalence of Substance Abuse Among Dormitory Students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adolescence is a risky period with high tendency towards drug abuse. Addressing the problem of drug abuse among students is essential.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was carried out in 2013 with the purpose of investigating the prevalence of substance abuse among dormitory students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this descriptive analytical study, which was carried out in 2013, a total of 604 students living at dormitories of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were selected by random sampling method. A questionnaire designed by the researcher was used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of substance abuse among the students was 15.4%. With respect to the types of the drug used by students, the highest frequencies belonged to smoking 4.47% and hookah with 42.9%. Forty-eight percent of the students, who used drugs, started it for the first time when they were 18 years old or younger. About 58% of students used drugs for the first time in dormitories and parks. Students' meetings and parties with friends were frequent occasions for substance abuse (47.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students are considered one of the most vulnerable groups of society. The students living in dormitories are more vulnerable to drug abuse due to the lack of parental supervision and the impact of peer pressure. Therefore, localization of acceptance at Universities in order to prevent cultural mixing of students and education programs for teaching life skills to students efficiently reduce their substance abuse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babaei Heydarabadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramezankhani
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barekati
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center on Healthy Aging, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vejdani
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Keyvan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shariatinejad
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Rahman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Panahi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Larestan Hazrat Zeinab School of Nursing, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Hanan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kashfi
authors.affiliation: Young Researchers Club, Shar-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imanzad
keywords: Drugs; Prevalence; Students