engleski

Smoking, binge drinking and illicit drugs usage among medical students University of Zagreb – experimenting, habit, or cultural phenomena?

Introduction: During adolescence experimenting could be a part of psychological development, but also it may lead to developing addiction and diseases. Recent studies showed increasing prevalence of smoking and binge drinking among Croatian adolescents. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence of smoking, binge drinking and illicit drugs usage in a cohort of medical students University of Zagreb, on the first and sixth year of study. Methods Study included 243 students (69% female) in academic year 2004/2005 and 130 students (75% female) of the same cohort (53%) in 2010/2011. Data was obtained by anonymous questionnaire “School health survey” and analysed using descriptive statistics. Results Prevalence of daily smoking among females was 11.4% on first year of study and 9.8% six years later. Prevalence among males was 9.2% and 15.2%. Binge drinking prevalence among females was 50.9% on first year of study and 60.82% six years later. Prevalence among males was 73.7% and 97.0%. Significant difference was found between genders on first (ρ< 0.01) and sixth year of study (ρ< 0.01), and among males on first and sixth year (ρ= ρ< 0.01). Prevalence of experience with marijuana among females was 20.9% on the first year of study and 26.8% on the sixth year, while in males it was 26.6% and 39.4% six years later. Significant difference was found between genders on sixth year of study (ρ= 0.055), and among males on first and sixth year (ρ=0.058). Discussion Prevalence of smoking is low among medical students but shows stable trend from first to sixth year of study, while binge drinking prevalence and experimenting with marijuana is high and shows increase among males from first to sixth year of study. Possible cause for these finding could be in a fact that despite the laws, smoking and drinking are socially acceptable in Croatia. These results indicate the need of prevention programs for student population.

medical students; smoking; binge drinking; substance abuse

nije evidentirano