Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year
: 2020  |  Volume : 18  |  Issue : 2  |  Page : 161--167

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


Neha Taneja, Ansh Pal Singh, Sandeep Sachdeva, Nidhi Dwivedi 
 Department of Community Medicine, North Delhi Municipal Corporation Medical College and Hindu Rao Hospital, New Delhi, India

Correspondence Address:
Dr. Sandeep Sachdeva
Department of Community Medicine, North Delhi Municipal Corporation Medical College and Hindu Rao Hospital, New Delhi - 110 007
India

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.


How to cite this article:
Taneja N, Singh AP, Sachdeva S, Dwivedi N. Tobacco, alcohol, and drug consumption practices among medical and paramedical students in a government medical college of New Delhi, India.J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent 2020;18:161-167


How to cite this URL:
Taneja N, Singh AP, Sachdeva S, Dwivedi N. Tobacco, alcohol, and drug consumption practices among medical and paramedical students in a government medical college of New Delhi, India. J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent [serial online] 2020 [cited 2024 Mar 29 ];18:161-167
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/aphd/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=2319-5932;year=2020;volume=18;issue=2;spage=161;epage=167;aulast=Taneja;type=0