Cogitare Enfermagem (Jul 2023)

USE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE HEALTH AREA

  • Francisco Matheus Azevedo de Sousa,
  • Larissa Maria Dantas de Sousa,
  • Joyce Mazza Nunes Aragão,
  • Eliany Nazaré Oliveira,
  • Paulo César de Almeida,
  • Soleane Mazza Nunes Bezerra,
  • Maristela Inês Osawa Vasconcelos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/ce.v28i0.91379
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 28

Abstract

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Objective: to verify the most prevalent psychoactive substances used among undergraduate students in the health area and their interference in academic performance. Methods: a total of 115 Nursing and Physical Education students from a public university in inland Ceará, Brazil, answered the Drug Use Screening Inventory questionnaire in 2021. To analyze the results, Pearson's chi-square and likelihood ratio statistical tests were used. Results: a total of 65 (56%) students used analgesics, 54 (47%) drank alcohol and 14 (12.2%) smoked marijuana. There was no statistical association between use of psychoactive substances and academic performance. However, among those who used analgesics or alcohol, more than 1/3 analyzed their performance as poor/terrible or fair, and half of those who smoked marijuana analyzed it in the same way. Conclusion: the study contributed to understanding the psychoactive substances prevalent in the university context and associated aspects, emphasizing the need for interventions.

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