engleski

Use of anxiolytics in medical students at the Faculty of Medicine Osijek

Anxiolytics remove the feeling of fear and tension and are used to symptomatically treat anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia. Overuse of anxiolytics is concerning, though almost no data concerning their usage in students are available. The aim was to examine the use, prevalence, and attitudes about benzodiazepines. The research was conducted during February 2021 on a sample of 222 students from the 1st to 6th year of Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine Osijek. An anonymous questionnaire was created to record and examine the data. Of the 222 respondents, 64% are women and 36% are men. Of the total number of respondents, 19% use benzodiazepines. According to the T-test, female and male respondents significantly differ in benzodiazepine usage (p<0, 01) ; 81% of females: 19% of males. The most commonly used benzodiazepines are alprazolam (52%) and diazepam (38%). 52% of respondents use it for anxiety, 28% for insomnia, and 12% for panic attacks. 49% of respondents cite the upcoming exam as the most common event preceding taking anxiolytics, 22% dissatisfaction with themselves, 13% family problems, and 6% problems in a love relationship. 58% report taking benzodiazepines once every few months, 17% once a month, 15% once a week, and 4% every day. 1st and 2nd-year students have the most negative attitude towards the use of benzodiazepines, while 6th-year students use them the most. All respondents were familiar with the possibility of developing addiction and tolerance when taking benzodiazepines daily. The results of this study showed a controlled and rational use of anxiolytics in students. Negative attitudes towards benzodiazepines are predominantly held by students in the lower years of study, while their use increases at higher years. Awareness and rational use of these drugs among medical students is important because they are future doctors whose decisions will affect their patients.

Anxiety ; Anxiolytics ; Benzodiazepines ; Medical Students

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