[The use of psychoactive remedies by dental students]

Abstract

Dutch dental students were investigated for their attitudes, opinions and actual use of psychoactive substances such as tobacco, alcohol and drugs. A questionnaire from the United States (115 items) was translated and adapted to the Dutch situation and subsequently administered to dental students at two dental schools in The Netherlands (Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam--ACTA--and the University of Nijmegen--KUN). The use of alcohol was very high (lifetime 95%, past year 94%, past month 88%). No significant correlations were found between alcohol use and gender, schools and years. Of the students 17% reported getting drunk at least monthly. Prevalence rates for the past month use of tobacco was 24% and marijuana 4%. Male students smoked twice as much as female students. When asked whether their schools offered policy programmes on alcohol and drugs, 52% of the students reported that these were not available. It is concluded that schools have to pay more attention to these issues.