Tobacco, alcohol, and drug consumption practices among medical and paramedical students in a government medical college of New Delhi, India

• Main Authors: Neha Taneja, Ansh Pal Singh, Sandeep Sachdeva, Nidhi Dwivedi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2020-01-01
• Series: Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
• Subjects: addiction; mental health; smoking; substance abuse
• Online Access: http://www.jiaphd.org/article.asp?issn=2319-5932;year=2020;volume=18;issue=2;spage=161;epage=167;aulast=Taneja

Background: Substance abuse is a common practice among health-care workers across the globe. Aim: To assess prevalence and practices of tobacco, alcohol, and non-medicinal drug consumption practices among MBBS (including intern) and medical laboratory technology (MLT) students. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted and students underwent a face-to-face confidential interview using a predesigned, pretested, semi-structured interview schedule adapted from the Global Health Professional Student Survey. Results: A total of 283 (MBBS = 206 and MLT = 77) students participated in the study giving a response rate of 83.3%. The mean age was 20.92 (±1.75) years; 56.9% were male. Among medical students who had “ever” undertaken such practices were as follows: smoking (cigarette) (83, 40.2%), alcohol (98, 47.5%), and drug (38, 18.4%) intake, respectively; current (past 30 days) smokers were 34 (16.5%), and current (past 30 days) alcohol drinkers were 61 (29.6%). Males had a slightly higher prevalence of consumption of all substances in comparison to females except alcohol (P > 0.05). A statistically higher proportion of medical compared to paramedical (29.9% and 3.9%) students had ever drunk alcohol or consumed drug (P < 0.05). About 40 (14.1%) students had consumed all the three substances. On multiple regression analysis it was found that students staying in hostel (OR: 2.57; 95% CI: 1.3–4.8) had ever tried smoking in comparison to day-scholar (P = 0.003). Similarly, medical students (OR: 2.94; 95% CI: 1.1–7.5; P = 0.02) in comparison to paramedical students were ever alcohol drinker, and finally, drug intake was found to be statistically significant with age (above 20 years in reference to <20 years) and current residence (hostel in reference to day-scholar). Conclusion: There is a definitive and palpable unsatisfactory practices of “smoking, alcohol, and drug” consumption among medical in comparison to para-medical students.