Uso de substâncias psicoativas entre estudantes de medicina de uma universidade pública do semiárido brasileiro

Abstract

Admission to the university is still a target programmed by most young Brazilians in the search for qualified professional training and insertion in the world of work. Medical students sometimes face situations of stress and personal demands during the training process that can trigger mental health problems, the use or dependence on psychoactive substances. Objective: To evaluate the use of psychoactive substances among medical students at a public university in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Method: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional survey, which contains quantitative data. For data collection, two self-applied instruments were used, comprising a sample of 101 participants, selected by consecutive convenience sampling. In the data treatment and analysis stage, statistical software was used. Results: There is a high prevalence for the use of alcoholic beverages (80.20%), followed by marijuana (32.67%) and tobacco derivatives (31.70%). Alcoholic beverages also stand out in the desire or craving (36.6%), in the identification of problems (19.8%), negligence (14.9%), the concern of others (18.9%) and in the attempt to reduce (10.8%). Regarding substances of legal use, significant differences in consumption were identified between genders, with a predominance of males for the use of alcohol (p = 0.025) and tobacco (p = 0.001). Regarding illicit substances, they were more prominent in relation to males: marijuana (p = 0.016) and inhalants (p = 0.018). Conclusion: There is a recognized need to develop actions and programs aimed at guiding and clarifying medical students on the conscious and responsible use of alcoholic beverages and the risks and consequences of the abuse of illicit drugs.