Cent Eur J Public Health 2017, 25(3):200-205 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4626

Exposure to Psychoactive Compounds Amongst Students of Medical University

Krystyna Kowalczuk, Elżbieta Krajewska-Kułak
Department of Integrated Medical Care, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of exposure to psychoactive compounds amongst students of the Medical University of Bialystok.

Method: This cross-sectional study included 504 students selected by means of stratified sampling based on the university faculty, study discipline and year, and participant's gender.

Results: Nearly three fourths of our respondents have contact with their student colleagues who use psychoactive compounds, or have heard that such individuals exist. Approximately one fourth of the students declared that they considered using psychoactive compounds at least once. Marijuana and hashish were the psychoactive compounds our respondents used most frequently. Median age of the first contact with these substances was 18 years. Alarmingly high fraction of respondents declared that most of psychoactive compounds included in the study is easily available and obtaining them would not take them longer than one day. Furthermore, 15% of respondents admitted to being involved in the distribution of psychoactive compounds.

Conclusion: The exposure of medical university students to psychoactive compounds represents similar problem as in their peers studying other disciplines. However, in view of its specific consequences (including potential threat to patients' health and life), the problem should not be underestimated.

Keywords: hashish, illicit drugs, marijuana, substance abuse

Received: November 14, 2015; Revised: December 7, 2016; Published: October 10, 2017  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Kowalczuk K, Krajewska-Kułak E. Exposure to Psychoactive Compounds Amongst Students of Medical University. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2017;25(3):200-205. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a4626. PubMed PMID: 29022678.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Annual report 2006: the state of the drugs problem in Europe. Lisbon: EMCDDA; 2006.
    2. Ptaszyńska-Sarosiek I, Wardaszka Z, Sackiewicz A, Okłota M, Niemcunowicz-Janica A. Cases of fatal para methoxy amphetamine (PMA) poisoning in the material of the Forensic Medicine Department, Medical University Of Białystok, Poland. Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol. 2009;59(3):190-3. (In Polish.) Go to PubMed...
    3. Sutherland I, Shepherd JP. Social dimensions of adolescent substance use. Addiction. 2001;96(3):445-58. Go to original source...
    4. Woynarowska B, Tabak I. Risk factors of early sexual initiation. Med Wieku Rozwoj. 2008;12(2 Pt 1):541-7. (In Polish.) Go to PubMed...
    5. Niemcunowicz-Janica A, Wardaszka Z, Ptaszyńska-Sarosiek I. Determinations of the presence of drugs in traffic users in the material of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Białystok. Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol. 2009;59(3):194-8. (In Polish.) Go to PubMed...
    6. Siliquini R, Piat SC, Alonso F, Druart A, Kedzia M, Mollica A, et al. A European study on alcohol and drug use among young drivers: the TEND by Night study design and methodology. BMC Public Health. 2010;10:205. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-205. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Hemphill SA, Heerde JA, Herrenkohl TI, Patton GC, Toumbourou JW, Catalano RF. Risk and protective factors for adolescent substance use in Washington State, the United States and Victoria, Australia: a longitudinal study. J Adolesc Health. 2011;49(3):312-20. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Łaszek M, Nowacka E, Szatko F. Negative behavior patterns of students. Part I. Consumption of alcohol and use of psychoactive substances. Probl Hig Epidemiol. 2011; 92(1):114-9. (In Polish.)
    9. Rudzka, J, Krzyżanowski D. Knowledge of young people about addiction. Piel Zdr Publ. 2011;1(3):225-34. (In Polish.)
    10. Mellibruda J, Nikodemska S, Fronczyk K. Use and abuse of alcohol and other psychoactive substances among Polish university students. Med Wieku Rozwoj. 2003;7(1 Pt 2):135-55. (In Polish.) Go to PubMed...
    11. Sałaga-Pylak M, Pikuła A, Ku¶mierczyk K, Borzecki A. The occurrence of addictions among high school students. Ann Univ Mariae Curie Sklodowska Med. 2004;59(1):402-5. Go to PubMed...
    12. Morawska J, Krawczyk E, Satora L. Assessment of legal awareness regarding illicit drug use among Kraków university students. Przegl Lek. 2005;62(6):354-6. (In Polish.) Go to PubMed...
    13. Motyka A, Leszkiewicz M, Majchrzak A, Majewski M, Adamek R. Consumption of psychoactive substances - awareness of health consequences among the students of university schools in Poznan. Przegl Lek. 2007;64(10):808-10. (In Polish.) Go to PubMed...
    14. Ogonowska D, Pach D, Targosz D. The usage of psychoactive substances among secondary school students in Nowy Sacz. Przegl Lek. 2009;66(6):293-300. (In Polish.) Go to PubMed...
    15. Modrzejewska R. Comorbidity in adolescence: simultaneous declaration of depressive, eating, obsessive-compulsive symptoms and use of psychoactive substances in the general population of 17 year old students in a big city. Psychiatr Pol. 2010;44(5):651-63. (In Polish.) Go to PubMed...
    16. Kuczyński J, Kleszczewska E, Popławski T, Łogwiniuk K, Szpakow A, Szpakow A. The study of psychoactive substance use and health-relatedattitudes among students from Suwalki, Bialystok and Grodno. Probl Hig Epidemiol. 2011;92(4):748-53. (In Polish.)
    17. Bunch WH, Storr CL, Hughes PH, Baldwin DC Jr. Substance use by surgical residents and students entering surgery. J Surg Res. 1996;61(1):108-12. Go to original source...
    18. Wójtowicz-Chomicz K, Kowal M, Wójtowicz M, Borzęcki A. Evaluation of anti-healthy behavior among students of Medical University in Lublin. Probl Hig Epidemiol. 2007; 88(1):108-11. (In Polish.)
    19. Szczyrba-Maroń B. Strategies to cope with stress taking into consideration usage of psychoactive substances among group of nursing students. Probl Pielęgn. 2010;18(4):455-60. (In Polish.)
    20. Marcinkowski JT. Epidemiology of substance abuse in Poland - with focus on medical professions. Hygeia Publ Health. 2011;46(3):334-8. (In Polish.)
    21. Klimberg A, Marcinkowski JT, Przybylski J. Consumption of alcohol and other psycho-active substances among the students of selected medical university faculties. Part IV. Alcohol consumption-related behaviours. Probl Hig Epidemiol. 2009;90(2): 218-21. (In Polish.)
    22. Kułak A, Shpakov A, Kułak P. Preliminary analysis of the problem of nicotine, alcohol and drug addictions in the student population. Probl Hig Epidemiol. 2011;92(1):137-45. (In Polish.)
    23. Bargiel-Matusiewicz K, Grzelak S, Weglinska M. Factors protecting against risk behavior concerning the psychoactive substances used by adolescents. Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2010;22(4):503-10. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    24. Dielman TE, Butchart AT, Shope JT, Miller M. Environmental correlates of adolescent substance use and misuse: implications for prevention programs. Int J Addict. 1990-1991;25(7A-8A):855-80. Go to original source...
    25. Vázquez FL. Psychoactive substance use and dependence among Spanish university students: prevalence, correlates, polyconsumption, and comorbidity with depression. Psychol Rep. 2010;106(1):297-313. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    26. Asbridge M, Poulin C, Donato A. Motor vehicle collision risk and driving under the influence of cannabis: evidence from adolescents in Atlantic Canada. Accid Anal Prev. 2005;37(6):1025-34. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    27. Rozenbroek K, Rothstein WG. Medical and nonmedical users of prescription drugs among college students. J Am Coll Health. 2011;59(5):358-63. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    28. Watkins C. Use of amphetamine by medical students. South Med J. 1970 Aug;63(8):923-9. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    29. Machado Neto Ade S, Andrade TM, Fernandes GB, Zacharias HP, Carvalho FM, Machado AP, et al. Reliability of a questionnaire on substance use among adolescent students. Brazil. Rev Saude Publica. 2010;44(5):830-9. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    30. Pach J, Tobiasz-Adamczyk B, Jabłoński P, Brzyski P, Krawczyk E, Satora L, et al. Drug free universities - trends in illicit drugs use among Kraków university students. Przegl Lek. 2005;62(6):342-50. (In Polish.) Go to PubMed...

    Return to the content