Factors influencing alcohol and illicit drug use amongst medical students

Abstract

Alcohol, illicit drug use, and other lifestyle variables, as well as stress, anxiety and personality were evaluated in 194 first year medical students. 45% of the students reported drinking above the recommended UK limits for alcohol consumption. The age at which the first full drink of alcohol was taken was predictive of the current level of alcohol use. Cannabis was the most frequently used illicit drug (45%). There were significant positive associations between alcohol consumption and experiences such as missing study, becoming more sexually involved and getting into a physical fight or argument. There were also significant positive associations between the personality characteristic of psychoticism and alcohol and illicit drug consumption. The effectiveness of current health education on alcohol and illicit drugs is questioned.

Introduction

Alcohol and illicit drug use is increasing amongst the young (Miller and Plant, 1996). Research has revealed that some university students drink excessive amounts of alcohol and experiment with illicit drugs (Webb et al., 1996, Webb et al., 1997), and that medical students do not differ markedly from many other student groups, despite their (supposedly) greater knowledge of the potential hazards of alcohol and illicit drugs (Collier and Beales, 1989, File et al., 1994, Ghodse and Howse, 1994, Ashton and Kamali, 1995, Webb et al., 1997, Croen et al., 1997, Webb et al., 1998). Although most medical students are sensible in their alcohol use, a significant minority develops, or persists in, a pattern of behaviour in alcohol use that is potentially harmful (File et al., 1994). Apart from the potential damage to health, excessive use of alcohol has also been reported to increase the risk of road traffic accidents, unsafe sex and violence (Anonymous, 1995).

The problems of excessive drinking and the use of illicit drugs by many university students are a cause for concern, and have resulted in calls for provision of better health care, health education and support systems in universities (Ashton and Kamali, 1995, Webb et al., 1996, Webb et al., 1997, Webb et al., 1998, White, 1997, Gray et al., 1998). However, for such systems to be effective, it is necessary to establish whether university life and atmosphere are to blame for much of the excessive drinking and illicit drug use among students, or whether these habits are formed prior to students entering university. The aim of this study was to investigate lifestyles, including alcohol and illicit drug use and the influence of personality on these in a cohort of first year medical students shortly after arriving at Newcastle University.