Exams-related stress and the pattern of substance use and misuse among Palestinian medical and health sciences students
Abstract Substance use among school students is a public health concern. Exam-related anxiety is one of the main motives for drug use. This research aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of psychostimulant and antidepressants use and misuse among medical and health sciences students...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Discover Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-023-00098-y |
| _version_ | 1797557319398064128 |
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| author | Wafa Khalifah Mohamad Abu-Yusef Ahmad Abed-Elhadi Ameed Barq Mohamad Yassen Ahmad Hanani Ahmad Abu Hassan Mohammad Abuawad Basma Damiri |
| author_facet | Wafa Khalifah Mohamad Abu-Yusef Ahmad Abed-Elhadi Ameed Barq Mohamad Yassen Ahmad Hanani Ahmad Abu Hassan Mohammad Abuawad Basma Damiri |
| author_sort | Wafa Khalifah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Substance use among school students is a public health concern. Exam-related anxiety is one of the main motives for drug use. This research aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of psychostimulant and antidepressants use and misuse among medical and health sciences students at two large representative medical schools in West Bank Palestine. The results of a cross-sectional study, that surveyed 984 Palestinian medical and health sciences students revealed how educational experiences and newfound independence affect substance use behaviors among Palestinian medical and health sciences students. In total, 7.7% of the students reported using illicit drugs. Hallucinogens were the most commonly used drugs (2.9%), followed by central nervous system (CNS) stimulants (2.4%) and CNS depressants (1.4%), while 4.4% were using nonprescribed antidepressants, with Fluoxetine being the most used. Most drug users (72.4%) started using before they enrolled in university, and 39.5% did not realize the potential harm of these drugs. Medical students tend to use these substances less frequently than their non-medical peers. The study indicated that exam-related stress was a crucial factor in the prevalence of drug use and misuse. Peer pressure, academic, psychological, and family pressures were other primary reasons behind drug use. The study’s results indicated that the misuse of antidepressant medications and other licit and illicit substances is highly prevalent among Palestinian medical and non-medical students. The results also underscore the importance of raising awareness about drug use and providing students with accurate information about the safe use of these substances. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:15:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9c412658bea44cae83bf3dfaccbbf8ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2731-4537 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:15:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9c412658bea44cae83bf3dfaccbbf8ae2023-11-20T10:31:34ZengSpringerDiscover Psychology2731-45372023-11-013111310.1007/s44202-023-00098-yExams-related stress and the pattern of substance use and misuse among Palestinian medical and health sciences studentsWafa Khalifah0Mohamad Abu-Yusef1Ahmad Abed-Elhadi2Ameed Barq3Mohamad Yassen4Ahmad Hanani5Ahmad Abu Hassan6Mohammad Abuawad7Basma Damiri8Medicine & Health Science Faculty, Department of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityMedicine & Health Science Faculty, Department of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityMedicine & Health Science Faculty, Department of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityMedicine & Health Science Faculty, Department of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityMedicine & Health Science Faculty, Department of Medicine, An-Najah National UniversityMedicine & Health Science Faculty, Psychology, and Counseling Department, An-Najah National UniversityMedicine & Health Science Faculty, Department of Neurology, An-Najah National University Hospital, An-Najah National UniversityMedicine & Health Science Faculty, Department of Biomedical Sciences, An-Najah National UniversityMedicine & Health Science Faculty, Drug and Toxicology Division, An-Najah National UniversityAbstract Substance use among school students is a public health concern. Exam-related anxiety is one of the main motives for drug use. This research aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of psychostimulant and antidepressants use and misuse among medical and health sciences students at two large representative medical schools in West Bank Palestine. The results of a cross-sectional study, that surveyed 984 Palestinian medical and health sciences students revealed how educational experiences and newfound independence affect substance use behaviors among Palestinian medical and health sciences students. In total, 7.7% of the students reported using illicit drugs. Hallucinogens were the most commonly used drugs (2.9%), followed by central nervous system (CNS) stimulants (2.4%) and CNS depressants (1.4%), while 4.4% were using nonprescribed antidepressants, with Fluoxetine being the most used. Most drug users (72.4%) started using before they enrolled in university, and 39.5% did not realize the potential harm of these drugs. Medical students tend to use these substances less frequently than their non-medical peers. The study indicated that exam-related stress was a crucial factor in the prevalence of drug use and misuse. Peer pressure, academic, psychological, and family pressures were other primary reasons behind drug use. The study’s results indicated that the misuse of antidepressant medications and other licit and illicit substances is highly prevalent among Palestinian medical and non-medical students. The results also underscore the importance of raising awareness about drug use and providing students with accurate information about the safe use of these substances.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-023-00098-yCNS antidepressantsCNS stimulantsDrug use and misuseHallucinogensRecreational drugsFluoxetine |
| spellingShingle | Wafa Khalifah Mohamad Abu-Yusef Ahmad Abed-Elhadi Ameed Barq Mohamad Yassen Ahmad Hanani Ahmad Abu Hassan Mohammad Abuawad Basma Damiri Exams-related stress and the pattern of substance use and misuse among Palestinian medical and health sciences students Discover Psychology CNS antidepressants CNS stimulants Drug use and misuse Hallucinogens Recreational drugs Fluoxetine |
| title | Exams-related stress and the pattern of substance use and misuse among Palestinian medical and health sciences students |
| title_full | Exams-related stress and the pattern of substance use and misuse among Palestinian medical and health sciences students |
| title_fullStr | Exams-related stress and the pattern of substance use and misuse among Palestinian medical and health sciences students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exams-related stress and the pattern of substance use and misuse among Palestinian medical and health sciences students |
| title_short | Exams-related stress and the pattern of substance use and misuse among Palestinian medical and health sciences students |
| title_sort | exams related stress and the pattern of substance use and misuse among palestinian medical and health sciences students |
| topic | CNS antidepressants CNS stimulants Drug use and misuse Hallucinogens Recreational drugs Fluoxetine |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-023-00098-y |
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