Pattern of Pharmacological Habits among Medical Students – a cross sectional study

Pattern of Pharmacological Habits among Medical Students – a cross sectional study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Pattern of Pharmacological Habits among Medical Students – a cross sectional study Inês Jordão, Patrícia Paiva, Cristina Carvalho, Patrícia Dias, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7489117/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Previous studies indicate that medical students exhibit the highest levels of stress among academic populations. However, few studies have analyzed overall drug use in this group, including self-medication and illicit drug consumption. The aim of this study was to characterize the drug consumption patterns of medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra (FMUC). A cross-sectional study was conducted with FMUC medical students between September 2023 and April 2024 using an online questionnaire. Sociodemographic and health data were collected to characterize the medication consumption patterns and identify predictors. A total of 791 valid responses were obtained. The average age was 21.0 ± 2.8 years, with 74.2% women. Approximately 80.3% of students reside in Coimbra, and 75.7% do not live with their family during the academic period. Regarding health status, 83.9% rated it as "excellent/very good" or "good," while 14.5% described it as "adequate" and 1.5% as "poor." Half of the students (48.7%) reported moderate daily stress, and 44.1% reported high stress. Ninety-two percent of students consumed medication in the last year, with 88.6% engaging in self-medication. Drug consumption was higher in women (93.5%, p=0.001) and was directly associated with daily stress. The most commonly used drug groups were anti-inflammatories (23.6%), analgesics (21.5%), and antihistamines (17.2%). Drug consumption by medical students is significant, with a notable increase in consumption, particularly antidepressants and anxiolytics, was observed after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study highlights the critical importance of raising awareness among students, universities, and healthcare agencies regarding pharmacological habits. Pharmacological habits Medical students Substance use Self-medication Cross-sectional study Medical education Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Highlights · 92% of medical students at UC have used medication in the past year. · 48.7% of students report moderate stress, while 44.1% report high stress levels. · Female students exhibit higher rates of medication use compared to males. · 15.7% of students altered their medication habits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. · Students with healthcare professionals in their family show more moderate medication use. Introduction The University students form a young and potentially healthy community, however, they are exposed to specific risk factors, namely continuous stress and intense intellectual effort (1). The university environment is very stressful due to major responsibilities and heavy workloads, especially in the medical field. Medical school is a time of significant psychological distress for physicians-in-training where medical studies bring many stressful activities to students and are the category of academic population with the highest levels of stress (2). Prolonged stress can have adverse effects to mental health like depression, burnout, low sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and anxiety (3,4) and may lead to increased drugs use. Medical students may be more vulnerable to drugs consumption and addiction also due to their ready accessibility to drugs and pharmacological knowledge. The prevalence of self-medication in medical students was found to be more than 80%, mainly associated with the use of non-over-the-counter (OTC) drugs (5). There is evidence that the use of alcohol, tranquilizers and psychedelics is higher among medical students by comparison with other undergraduated students. Previous studies indicate that anxiolytic and antidepressant consumption is higher in first year medical students (6). Few studies have analysed overall drug use in the medical student population, including self-medication and illicit drugs consumption. Characterizing the pattern of medication consumption and substance abuse in this population may contribute not only to better knowledge about their health, but also to the development of programs aimed at the rational use of medication in this community. The objective of this study is to characterize the drug consumption pattern of medical students at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra (FMUC). Methods Study design Quantitative, cross-sectional study, with a sample made up of students from the Medicine Course at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, over 18 years old, with no age limit, of both sexes and obtained by convenience. A self-administered online questionnaire was made available and students were invited to respond. The questionnaire consists of 40 questions, distributed across 8 sections: - Informed consent and acceptance to participate in the study (1 question) - Demographic data (15 questions) - Individual self-assessment (3 questions) - Recourse to Health Care (7 questions) - Consumption habits (7 questions) - Sleep habits (3 questions) - Physical exercise (2 questions) - Changes resulting from the COVID19 Pandemic (2 questions). The questionnaire was specifically developed for this study. An English version of the complete questionnaire is provided as Supplementary File 1. Pilot test We administered 7 questionnaires as a pilot test to ascertain the face validity of the questionnaire. We assessed whether the students understood what was being asked and whether the answers corresponded to what was asked. Thus, we ensured that each question evaluated the desired parameters. During this phase, we listen to comments and suggestions from students in order to improve the questionnaire. Namely the suggestion that we add an explanatory subtitle to the group title of each group of questions and add the “other” option to some questions, leaving the field editable for writing. After these changes, the questionnaire was understood by the target population. As these pre-test questionnaires were completed in full and the changes resulting from their application did not imply significant changes, nor did they compromise the information collected, we chose to include the information collected from these 7 students in the final sample. Sample We designed the questionnaires for self-completion, made them available online and shared them with students so that they could have the opportunity to answer them. We determined that we would exclude questionnaires that were incomplete (> 50% of questions unanswered). Data collection Data were collected through questionnaire responses between September 2023 and April 2024. The research was approved by the organization through an authorization form. Thus, the work was part of the project approved by the FMUC Ethics Committee (CE_Proc. CE-018/2023). The questions were aimed at sociodemographic and health data to characterize the pattern of medication consumption, identify predictors of consumption and possible changes in medication habits resulting from the COVID19 pandemic. The completed questionnaires were coded and stored in the form of databases. Statistical analysis of data The data were statistically analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 19.0 for Windows. Statistical analysis followed a descriptive and inferential analysis of the data. The test used made it possible to verify the relationships between the variables, and the presentation was made in the form of frequencies by inferential analysis using the χ 2 test. The significance level was established at 5% (p<0.05). The students' basic conditions were used as the dependent variable. We also performed multivariate analysis of the different years of university attendance and family factors. Results Sample A total of 791 valid responses were obtained. All questionnaires had more than 90% of their questions answered, so we did not exclude any questionnaire. The median age was 21.0 years (interquartile range 18.1–23.8), with a predominance of females (74.2%). The demographic characteristics of the sample are described in Table 1 . Table 1 – Demographic characteristics of participating students n % Total 791 100 Gender Female/ Male 584/203 74.2/25.8 Age (years) Median, interquartile range 21.0 18.1–23.8 FMUC year of attendance First year 123 15.5 Second year 91 11.5 Third year 254 32.1 Forth Year 102 12.9 Fifth year 143 18.1 Sixth year 78 9.8 Weight (kg) Median, interquartile range 62.4 50.6–74.1 Height (cm) Median, interquartile range 167.3 158.4–176.2 BMI Median, interquartile range 22.2 19.1–25.3 Professional situation Full-time student 745 94.2 Student-worker 44 5.6 Marital status Single 782 98.9 Married 7 0.9 Other 2 0.3 Love Relationship Yes 458 57.9 No 331 41.8 Have children? No 786 99.3 Yes 4 0.5 Naturalness Central Region 352 44.5 North region 293 37.0 Islands (Madeira and Azores) 45 5.7 PALOP (Portuguese-Speaking African Countries) 45 5.7 Algarve 20 2.5 Alentejo 13 1.6 Lisboa e Vale do Tejo 11 1.4 Other countries in Europe 8 1.0 Residence in Coimbra Yes 635 80.3 No 156 19.7 To live with the family during the school period Yes 192 24.3 No 599 75.7 Number of travels to the household 1 to 2 times a month 140 23.3 1 to 2 times per semester 45 7.5 Only on festive dates 34 5.7 All the weekends 382 63.6 Having family members as Healthcare Professional Yes 238 30.1 No 553 69.9 Individual self-assessment: When asked about their health status: 83.9% characterized it as "excellent/very good" or "good"; 14.5% as "appropriate” and 1.5% classified general health as "poor". Self-assessment of their physical condition: 52.2% reported having a “good” physical condition, 29% as “appropriate” and 18.2% as “excellent/very good”. Around half of the students (48.7%) describe their daily stress as moderate and 44.1% as high. Healthcare Resources (Table 2 ) There were students (44.0%) who needed 2 to 4 medical appointments in the last year, 20.6% who needed more than 4 appointments and 13.7% reported that they did not attend any medical appointment. The majority of students (92.0%) consumed medication in the last year. Self-medication was very common (78.9% of students). Regarding prescribed drugs, 2.0% consumed 5 or more drugs; 10.6% between 3 to 4 drugs; 41.5% consume 1 to 2 drugs. Table 2 – Health Care Resources N % Medical Appointments None 108 13.7 1 168 21.2 2 to 4 348 44.0 > 4 163 20.6 No answer 4 0.5 Consumed medication in the last year Yes 728 92.0 No 63 8.0 No answer 0 0.0 Self-medication Never 80 10.1 Rarely 374 47.3 At least 1 a month 222 28.1 Practilly every week 28 3.5 No answer 87 11.0 Prescription medications None 302 38.2 1 to 2 328 41.5 3 to 4 84 10.6 > 5 16 2.0 No answer 61 7.7 How long have you been prescribed this medication 3 years 174 22.0 No answer 324 41.0 Therapeutic group The most used therapeutic groups were anti-inflammatories (23.6%), analgesics (21.5%), antiallergics (17.2%), followed by anxiolytics/hypnotics (11.9%), contraceptive (11.5%) antidepressants (11.5%), antipyretics (10.6%), corticosteroids (10.5%) and antibiotics (10.2%). Pathologies with medical prescription : The pathologies most reported by students were anxiety and/or depression (15.9%), respiratory system diseases (15.7%), skin diseases (11.0%) and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (6.8%). Consumption habits : In graphics 3 and 4 we present the results of students' responses to questions regarding their consumption habits. In coffee consumption habits, 69.8% reported regular consumption, about 39% of students reposted regular alcohol consumption habits. The majority of students (86.1%) report not smoking. Regarding students with smoking habits (N = 108, 13.7%), 77.8% smoke less than 10 cigarettes per day. Around 21% reported having smoked for less than 1 year, 29.6% for between 1 and 2 years, and 39.8% reported having smoked for more than 3 years. In graphic 9 and Table 3 we present the results of students' answers to questions about consumption habits of illicit drugs. Around 68% of students reported that did not have habits of consuming illicit substances. Table 3 – Illicit drugs consumption N % How regularly do you consume? Occasionally 48 6.1 1 to 2 times a week 10 1.3 Every day 7 0.9 Many times a day 2 0.3 No answer 724 91.5 How many years have you had these consumption habits? 3 years 62 7.8 No answer 662 83.7 Sleep habits : More than half of students (55.5%) think they do not get enough sleep. The majority of students (76.1%) responded that they sleep 7 or 8 hours a night. During exam times, the majority (73.7%) report sleeping 6, 7 or 8 hours. Physical exercise Regarding physical exercise (Table 4 ), more than half of the students reported exercising regularly, 31.7% reported practicing more than 6 hours of exercise per week. Table 4 – Physical exercise habits N % Do you practice physical exercise? Yes 455 57.5 No 334 42.2 No answer 2 0.3 How many hours (on average) do you exercise per week? 6 hours 251 31.7 No answer 9 1.1 Influence of the COVID19 pandemic on their medication habits: When asked about the influence of the COVID19 pandemic on their medication habits, 15.7% reported that they had changed them, of which 37.1% started therapy with antidepressants and 31.5% with anxiolytics or hypnotics. Univariate analysis (Tables 5 and 6 ) Drug use was very stronger associated with increased BMI (p < 0.001), health status classified as "poor" (p < 0.001) and increase in the number of medical appointments (p < 0.001). Drug use was stronger associated with female gender (p < 0.001), physical condition (p < 0.001) and daily stress (p < 0.001), self-medication (p < 0.001), hours of sleep (p < 0.001). Drug use was independent of other sociodemographic variables studied, and was independent from physical exercise and habit like smoking or use of illicit drugs. We assessed whether the year of medical school attendance is related to daily stress, the consumption of illicit substances and self-medication. Then we tested the relationship between the academic year and the use of medication. Table 5 – Univariate analysis by university attendance year First year Second year Third year Forth Year Fifth year Sixth year P-valor Daily stress N, (%) 123 91 254 101 143 78 0.112 High 48 (39.0) 32 (35.2) 126 (49.6) 43 (42.6) 68 (47.6) 32 (41.0) Moderate 69 (56.1) 51 (56.0) 107 (42.1) 52 (51.5) 61 (42.7) 43 (55.1) Reduced 6 (4.9) 8 (8.8) 21 (8.3) 6 (5.9) 14 (9.8) 3 (3.8) Consumption of illicit substances N, (%) 100 80 175 82 112 55 0.133 No habits 88 (88) 80 (100) 150 (85.7) 73 (89.0) 93 (83.0) 55 (100) Cannabis 10 ( 10 ) 0 (0) 25 (14.3) 6 (7.3) 19 (17.0) 0 (0) Cocaine 2 ( 2 ) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) Ecatasy 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 3 (3.7) 0 (0) 0 (0) Self-medication N, (%) 105 87 228 92 129 62 0.670 Never 10 (9.5) 12 (13.8) 29 (12.7) 9 (9.8) 12 (9.3) 8 (12.9) Rarely 55 (52.4) 50 (57.5) 121 (53.1) 46 (50) 74 (57.4) 27 (43.5) At least 1 a month 34 (32.4) 25 (28.7) 70 (30.7) 31 (33.7) 39 (30.2) 23 (37.1) Practilly every week 6 (5.7) 0 (0) 8 (3.5) 6 (6.5) 4 (3.1) 4 (6.5) Prescription medications N, (%) 111 91 234 92 135 66 0.015 None 46 (41.4) 48 (52.7) 105 (44.9) 25 (27.2) 48 (35.8) 30 (45.5) 1 to 2 53 (47.7) 31 (34.1) 101 (43.2) 49 (53.3) 65 (48.5) 28 (42.4) 3 to 4 8 (7.2) 8 (8.8) 23 (9.8) 15 (16.3) 22 (16.4) 8 (12.1) > 5 4 (3.6) 4 (4.4) 5 (2.1) 3 (3.3) 0 (0) 0 (0) The year of entry into medical school was not correlated with daily stress, consumption of illicit substances and self-medication. Regarding self-medication, there were also no substantial differences between the years, although the data suggest a constant practice throughout the course, with a prevalence of occasional use in approximately 50–60% of students, with no marked variations between the academic years. Regarding the use of prescription drugs, it was observed that students in the most advanced years (fourth, fifth and sixth years) use prescription drugs more frequently, especially among the fourth year, when the percentage of students who did not use any medication was significantly lower. We also assessed whether having a healthcare professional in the household or living in the family home influences medication consumption. Table 6 – Univariate analysis by family factors Prescription medications N, (%) None 1 to 2 3 to 4 > 5 P-valor Healthcare professional in the household 0.002 Yes 73 (34.4) 111 (52.4) 28 (13.2) 0 (0.0) No 229 (44.2) 217 (41.9) 56 (10.1) 16 (3.1) To live with the family during the school period 0.01 Yes 62 (36.3) 82 (48.0) 20 (11.7) 9 (5.3) No 240 (43.1) 246 (44.2) 64 (11.5) 7 (1.3) The results presented indicate statistically significant differences in the use of prescribed medicines, associated with both the presence of a health professional in the household and the fact that the student lives with the family during the school period. Students who have a health care professional in the family tend to consume fewer medications, suggesting more moderation in medication use: 52.4% have consumed 1 to 2 medications, while no individual reported consuming more than 5 medications. In contrast, those without an aggregate health professional have greater diversity in consumer standards, with 3.1% consuming more than 5 medicines and a lower proportion (41.9%) consuming 1 to 2 medications. The results show a significant association between having a family health professional and the number of medications taken, based on the chi-square test (p = 0.002) and other likelihood tests, such as Fisher's (p = 0.001). The association is weak to moderate, as shown by the Fi coefficient (0.141, p = 0.002), suggesting that the health profession in the family influences the number of medications taken. However, there is no clear linear trend between the variables, as indicated by the linear association test (p = 0.323). In summary, although there is a significant association, it does not follow a strong linear pattern. Students living with the family had higher drug consumption in high doses (> 5), with 5.3% of cases, compared to only 1.3% for those who do not live with the family. On the other hand, a higher proportion of these students (48.0%) consumed 1 to 2 medicines. Students who do not live with the family have higher moderate consumption (44.2% to 1 to 2 medications) and less high consumption (> 5 medications). Discussion The high prevalence of drug use, including self-medication, among medical students has become a growing global concern. Easy access to both prescription and over-the-counter medications may lead to indiscriminate use, often without proper medical guidance. ( 7 ) Our findings showed a high prevalence of self-medication among medical students. ( 8 ) In line with the literature, drug consumption was higher among women, with the most commonly used therapeutic classes being analgesics, anti-inflammatories, antiallergics, and anxiolytics/hypnotics. ( 1 ) While these medications are effective in treating various conditions, their inappropriate use can lead to serious side effects, and even dependence. In addition, self-medication often masks symptoms of underlying diseases, delaying accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The demanding academic environment in medical school significantly contributes to the increased use of medications. High workloads and continuous stress drive many students to seek pharmaceutical solutions to cope with academic demands, such as psychostimulants. The use of anxiolytics and antidepressants, frequently employed to manage anxiety and emotional distress, is concerning, as it may lead to dependency and long-term mental health issues. ( 2 ) Another important finding was the high number of medical apointments and prescribed drug consumption, despite the fact that this is a young and theoretically healthy population. The most frequently reported health conditions associated with medication use were pain, inflammation, psycho-emotional disorders, and infections. This pattern suggests that, despite their medical knowledge, students may not be immune to excessive or inappropriate drug use. The consumption of alcohol and illicit substances by medical also warrant attention. Our study revealed a concerning percentage of students who reported regular alcohol use and occasional illicit substance consumption, such as cannabis. This behavior may be linked to academic stress and the need for temporary relief from academic pressures. ( 9 , 10 ) However, these substances can impair cognitive function, memory, and professional judgment, increasing the risk of mental health issues.( 10 , 11 ) Implementing institutional strategies to promote healthy coping mechanisms and provide psychological support could be crucial in mitigating these negative effects on students' academic and professional futures. Another significant finding was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ medication habits. The increased use of antidepressants and anxiolytics reflects the profound psychological effects of the pandemic, including social isolation, fear of illness, and economic uncertainty. ( 12 , 13 ) ​​ While these medications play a critical role in treating mental health disorders, their prescription should be carefully monitored to prevent prolonged use without appropriate supervision. Alternative therapeutic approaches, such as psychological support and stress management strategies, should be encouraged to minimize the pandemic's long-term impact on students' mental health. Our results also suggest an increasing trend in daily stress as students progress through medical school, with moderate stress being more prevalent in the early years and high stress peaking in the intermediate years. While illicit substance use did not show a statistically significant correlation with academic year, cannabis consumption appeared to increase from the third year onward. This finding highlights the need for early interventions to reduce the impact of stress on students' well-being and prevent substance use as a coping mechanism. Family context also emerged as a significant factor influencing medication consumption habits. Students with family members in the healthcare field showed lower consumption of prescription medications, suggesting greater awareness of rational drug use. Conversely, students who lived with their families during the academic year reported higher medication use, particularly high-dose consumption (> 5 drugs). This may be related to increased parental dependence due to clinical or emotional fragility. The influence of family context underscores the importance of both familial and educational support in promoting healthy medication use among medical students. These findings reinforce the urgent need for institutional measures to raise awareness about rational drug use and promote students' well-being. The implementation of psychological support programs, educational campaigns on responsible medication use, and the integration of mental health-focused courses into medical curricula could contribute to the development of more balanced and conscientious healthcare professionals. Study Limitations: After this study we were confronted with the following limitations: Transverse study design: As a cross -sectional study, it is impossible to establish causal relationships between the factors analyzed (such as stress levels, lifestyle and drug consumption) and observed consumption patterns. Only associations can be reported. Self -report bias: Data collection was performed through online questionnaires, which may lead to self -relate bias, such as sub or overestimation of drug consumption or omission of the use of illicit substances due to stigma. Without objective confirmation (such as medical revenues, pharmacy records or toxicological examinations), Sample limited to a single institution/absence of comparison with other populations: The study was conducted only with medical students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra (FMUC). This limits the generalization of results to other populations of medical students or academics in general. Specific data collection period: Data collection occurred between September 2023 and April 2024, which may reflect specific consumer behaviors associated with the academic context (as beginning or end of semester). Conclusion This study valuable insights into drug consumption patterns of medical students, highlighting both concerning trends and opportunities for targeted interventions. The findings reveal a significant prevalence of drug use among FMUC students, with high rates of medical consultations and prescribed medication consumption—an apparent paradox in a young and theoretically healthy population. Additionally, the study underscores the influence of family context on drugs use, emphasizing the role of psychological and emotional support in shaping students' health behaviors. Given these findings, universities must take an active role in promoting student well-being by implementing health programs, raising awareness about responsible medication use, and ensuring access to adequate psychological support. Such measures are crucial not only for the students' immediate well-being but also for fostering the development of future healthcare professionals who are both clinically competent and mentally resilient. In conclusion, this study reinforces the urgent need for comprehensive emotional and psychological support strategies tailored to this population. Declarations Acknowledgements : The authors state that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be interpreted as a potential conflict of interest. Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra (FMUC) (approval number CE-018/2023). All participants provided informed consent before completing the questionnaire. Consent for Publication: Not applicable. Human and Animal Rights: All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. No animals were involved in this research. Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Trial Registration: not applicable. Availability of Data and Materials: The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. References Cabrita J, Ferreira H, Iglésias P, Baptita T, Rocha E, Silva A, Miguel JP; Estudo do padrão de consumo de medicamentos pelos estudantes da Universidade de Lisboa. REVISTA PORTUGUESA DE SAÚDE PÚBLICA. VOL. 19, N.o 2 — JULHO/DEZEMBRO 2001 Dyrbye, Liselotte N. MD; Thomas, Matthew R. MD; Shanafelt, Tait D. MD. Systematic Review of Depression, Anxiety, and Other Indicators of Psychological Distress Among U.S. and Canadian Medical Students. Academic Medicine 81(4):p 354-373, April 2006. Dusan V Backović, Milos Maksimović, Dragana Davidović,, Jelena Ilić Zivojinovic, Dejan Stevanović., Stress and mental health among medical students, 2013Nov-Dec; 141(11-12):780-4. Maram M. Al-Shahrani 1, Bushra S. 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Jordão","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Serviço de Farmacologia Clínica da Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Inês","middleName":"","lastName":"Jordão","suffix":""},{"id":542193236,"identity":"cd3eefc6-d1f3-42e9-9e5e-03977d0af905","order_by":1,"name":"Patrícia Paiva","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Serviço de Farmacologia Clínica da Unidade Local de Saúde de 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1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":47697,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eGraphic 1: Drugs used report\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7489117/v1/42f9587a51b69814af8d9be2.png"},{"id":95573053,"identity":"0243c138-3f1e-4ab3-bf56-0448ea751f9a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-10 17:20:44","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":33452,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eGraphic 2: Pathologies with medical prescription reported\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7489117/v1/7d0cb290946937670ea6c152.png"},{"id":95573052,"identity":"a8517fa3-de6b-441c-9589-7069fb915dce","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-10 17:20:44","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":18268,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eGraphic 3: Consumption habits report\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7489117/v1/a7ad4834638677f2d40d0cdc.png"},{"id":95655693,"identity":"aaaef235-128c-4def-83ed-f29e56e8b79a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 16:16:44","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":16407,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eGraphic 4: Smokes report\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7489117/v1/2987dfce46d807f18f863554.png"},{"id":95655158,"identity":"58332ba4-2f65-4905-b9f2-8918f01f7915","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 16:14:24","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":17420,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eGraphic 5: Illicit drugs consumption report\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7489117/v1/52859079f217b96482ece323.png"},{"id":95656034,"identity":"5d9fa20a-4e27-4003-aad8-84b9665d2c20","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 16:17:36","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":27733,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eGraphic 6: Comparison of Sleep Hours: Normal and During Exams\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7489117/v1/ec5245bbdc25583dd375e94e.png"},{"id":95573063,"identity":"b37cc07f-aef9-48bb-b5f9-1ba54dae978d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-10 17:20:44","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":25696,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eGraphic 7: Report on changes in students' medication habits related to the COVID19 pandemic\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7489117/v1/bf721ad78f29c37c3822ae7c.png"},{"id":97900061,"identity":"0003bc62-6a6a-4418-8f71-5ac8ba67d551","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-10 15:45:12","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1105044,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7489117/v1/b23c95d7-93ce-4eb6-8b2f-14f036555e0c.pdf"},{"id":95655452,"identity":"7e2c699d-658c-4038-a41e-23fed532e03a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-11 16:16:11","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":37501,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryFile1QuestionnaireMedicalStudentsENG.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7489117/v1/c912c3e54b7ecf1f16a4c1b6.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Pattern of Pharmacological Habits among Medical Students – a cross sectional study","fulltext":[{"header":"Highlights","content":"\u003cp\u003e·\u0026nbsp; 92% of medical students at UC have used medication in the past year.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e·\u0026nbsp; 48.7% of students report moderate stress, while 44.1% report high stress levels.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e·\u0026nbsp; Female students exhibit higher rates of medication use compared to males.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e·\u0026nbsp; 15.7% of students altered their medication habits due to the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e· \u0026nbsp; Students with healthcare professionals in their family show more moderate medication use.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe University students form a young and potentially healthy community, however, they are exposed to specific risk factors, namely continuous stress and intense intellectual effort (1). The university environment is very stressful due to major responsibilities and heavy workloads, especially in the medical field. Medical school is a time of significant psychological distress for physicians-in-training where medical studies bring many stressful activities to students and are the category of academic population with the highest levels of stress (2). Prolonged stress can have adverse effects to mental health like depression, burnout, low sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and anxiety (3,4) and may lead to increased drugs use. Medical students may be more vulnerable to drugs consumption and addiction also due to their ready accessibility to drugs and pharmacological knowledge.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe prevalence of self-medication in medical students was found to be more than 80%, mainly associated with the use of non-over-the-counter (OTC) drugs (5). There is evidence that the use of alcohol, tranquilizers and psychedelics is higher among medical students by comparison with other undergraduated students. Previous studies indicate that anxiolytic and antidepressant consumption is higher in first year medical students (6).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFew studies have analysed overall drug use in the medical student population, including self-medication and illicit drugs consumption. Characterizing the pattern of medication consumption and substance abuse in this population may contribute not only to better knowledge about their health, but also to the development of programs aimed at the rational use of medication in this community. The objective of this study is to characterize the drug consumption pattern of medical students at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra (FMUC).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cu\u003eStudy design\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuantitative, cross-sectional study, with a sample made up of students from the Medicine Course at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra, over 18 years old, with no age limit, of both sexes and obtained by convenience. A self-administered online questionnaire was made available and students were invited to respond.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe questionnaire consists of 40 questions, distributed across 8 sections:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Informed consent and acceptance to participate in the study (1 question)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Demographic data (15 questions)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Individual self-assessment (3 questions)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Recourse to Health Care (7 questions)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Consumption habits (7 questions)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Sleep habits (3 questions)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Physical exercise (2 questions)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e- Changes resulting from the COVID19 Pandemic (2 questions).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe questionnaire was specifically developed for this study. An English version of the complete questionnaire is provided as \u003cem\u003eSupplementary File 1.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cu\u003ePilot test\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe administered 7 questionnaires as a pilot test to ascertain the face validity of the questionnaire. We assessed whether the students understood what was being asked and whether the answers corresponded to what was asked. Thus, we ensured that each question evaluated the desired parameters. \u0026nbsp; During this phase, we listen to comments and suggestions from students in order to improve the questionnaire. Namely the suggestion that we add an explanatory subtitle to the group title of each group of questions and add the “other” option to some questions, leaving the field editable for writing. After these changes, the questionnaire was understood by the target population. As these pre-test questionnaires were completed in full and the changes resulting from their application did not imply significant changes, nor did they compromise the information collected, we chose to include the information collected from these 7 students in the final sample.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cu\u003eSample\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe designed the questionnaires for self-completion, made them available online and shared them with students so that they could have the opportunity to answer them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe determined that we would exclude questionnaires that were incomplete (\u0026gt; 50% of questions unanswered).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cu\u003eData collection\u0026nbsp;\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData were collected through questionnaire responses between September 2023 and April 2024.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research was approved by the organization through an authorization form. Thus, the work was part of the project approved by the FMUC Ethics Committee (CE_Proc. CE-018/2023).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe questions were aimed at sociodemographic and health data to characterize the pattern of medication consumption, identify predictors of consumption and possible changes in medication habits resulting from the COVID19 pandemic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe completed questionnaires were coded and stored in the form of databases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cu\u003eStatistical analysis of data\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data were statistically analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 19.0 for Windows. Statistical analysis followed a descriptive and inferential analysis of the data. The test used made it possible to verify the relationships between the variables, and the presentation was made in the form of frequencies by inferential analysis using the χ 2 test. The significance level was established at 5% (p\u0026lt;0.05). The students' basic conditions were used as the dependent variable. We also performed multivariate analysis of the different years of university attendance and family factors.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003eSample\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eA total of 791 valid responses were obtained.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAll questionnaires had more than 90% of their questions answered, so we did not exclude any questionnaire.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe median age was 21.0 years (interquartile range 18.1\u0026ndash;23.8), with a predominance of females (74.2%). The demographic characteristics of the sample are described in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash; Demographic characteristics of participating students\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003en\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e791\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e100\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale/ Male\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e584/203\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e74.2/25.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAge (years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMedian, interquartile range\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18.1\u0026ndash;23.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFMUC year of attendance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFirst year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e123\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSecond year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e91\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThird year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e254\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eForth Year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e102\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFifth year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e143\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSixth year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e78\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWeight (kg)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMedian, interquartile range\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e50.6\u0026ndash;74.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHeight (cm)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMedian, interquartile range\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e167.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e158.4\u0026ndash;176.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBMI\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMedian, interquartile range\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19.1\u0026ndash;25.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProfessional situation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull-time student\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e745\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e94.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudent-worker\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMarital status\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSingle\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e782\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e98.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOther\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLove Relationship\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e458\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e57.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e331\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e41.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHave children?\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e786\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e99.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNaturalness\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCentral Region\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e352\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNorth region\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e293\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e37.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIslands (Madeira and Azores)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePALOP (Portuguese-Speaking African Countries)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAlgarve\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAlentejo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLisboa e Vale do Tejo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOther countries in Europe\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eResidence in Coimbra\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e635\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e80.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo live with the family during the school period\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e192\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e599\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e75.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNumber of travels to the household\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 to 2 times a month\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e140\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 to 2 times per semester\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOnly on festive dates\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e34\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAll the weekends\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e382\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e63.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHaving family members as Healthcare Professional\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e238\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e553\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e69.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIndividual self-assessment:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen asked about their health status: 83.9% characterized it as \u0026quot;excellent/very good\u0026quot; or \u0026quot;good\u0026quot;; 14.5% as \u0026quot;appropriate\u0026rdquo; and 1.5% classified general health as \u0026quot;poor\u0026quot;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelf-assessment of their physical condition: 52.2% reported having a \u0026ldquo;good\u0026rdquo; physical condition, 29% as \u0026ldquo;appropriate\u0026rdquo; and 18.2% as \u0026ldquo;excellent/very good\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAround half of the students (48.7%) describe their daily stress as moderate and 44.1% as high.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHealthcare Resources\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Table \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere were students (44.0%) who needed 2 to 4 medical appointments in the last year, 20.6% who needed more than 4 appointments and 13.7% reported that they did not attend any medical appointment. The majority of students (92.0%) consumed medication in the last year. Self-medication was very common (78.9% of students). Regarding prescribed drugs, 2.0% consumed 5 or more drugs; 10.6% between 3 to 4 drugs; 41.5% consume 1 to 2 drugs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash; Health Care Resources\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMedical Appointments\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNone\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e108\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e168\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2 to 4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e348\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e163\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo answer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eConsumed medication in the last year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e728\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e92.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e63\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo answer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSelf-medication\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNever\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRarely\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e374\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAt least 1 a month\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e222\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePractilly every week\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo answer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e87\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePrescription medications\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNone\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e302\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 to 2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e328\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e41.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 to 4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e84\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo answer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHow long have you been prescribed this medication\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;1 year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e153\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 to 2 years\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e140\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;3 years\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e174\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo answer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e324\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e41.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003eTherapeutic group\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe most used therapeutic groups were anti-inflammatories (23.6%), analgesics (21.5%), antiallergics (17.2%), followed by anxiolytics/hypnotics (11.9%), contraceptive (11.5%) antidepressants (11.5%), antipyretics (10.6%), corticosteroids (10.5%) and antibiotics (10.2%).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan type=\"ItalicUnderline\" class=\"ItalicUnderline\" name=\"Emphasis\"\u003ePathologies with medical prescription\u003c/span\u003e:\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe pathologies most reported by students were anxiety and/or depression (15.9%), respiratory system diseases (15.7%), skin diseases (11.0%) and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (6.8%).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan type=\"ItalicUnderline\" class=\"ItalicUnderline\" name=\"Emphasis\"\u003eConsumption habits\u003c/span\u003e:\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIn graphics 3 and 4 we present the results of students\u0026apos; responses to questions regarding their consumption habits.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIn coffee consumption habits, 69.8% reported regular consumption, about 39% of students reposted regular alcohol consumption habits. The majority of students (86.1%) report not smoking. Regarding students with smoking habits (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;108, 13.7%), 77.8% smoke less than 10 cigarettes per day. Around 21% reported having smoked for less than 1 year, 29.6% for between 1 and 2 years, and 39.8% reported having smoked for more than 3 years.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIn graphic 9 and Table \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e we present the results of students\u0026apos; answers to questions about consumption habits of illicit drugs.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAround 68% of students reported that did not have habits of consuming illicit substances.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash; Illicit drugs consumption\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHow regularly do you consume?\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOccasionally\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e48\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 to 2 times a week\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEvery day\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMany times a day\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo answer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e724\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e91.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHow many years have you had these consumption habits?\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;1 year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 to 2 years\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e47\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;3 years\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo answer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e662\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e83.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan type=\"ItalicUnderline\" class=\"ItalicUnderline\" name=\"Emphasis\"\u003eSleep habits\u003c/span\u003e:\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMore than half of students (55.5%) think they do not get enough sleep. The majority of students (76.1%) responded that they sleep 7 or 8 hours a night. During exam times, the majority (73.7%) report sleeping 6, 7 or 8 hours.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003ePhysical exercise\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRegarding physical exercise (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e), more than half of the students reported exercising regularly, 31.7% reported practicing more than 6 hours of exercise per week.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash; Physical exercise habits\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDo you practice physical exercise?\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e455\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e57.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e334\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e42.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo answer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHow many hours (on average) do you exercise per week?\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt; 2 hours\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e141\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2 to 6 hours\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e54\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;6 hours\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e251\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e31.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo answer\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003eInfluence of the COVID19 pandemic on their medication habits:\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWhen asked about the influence of the COVID19 pandemic on their medication habits, 15.7% reported that they had changed them, of which 37.1% started therapy with antidepressants and 31.5% with anxiolytics or hypnotics.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnivariate analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e(Tables \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDrug use was very stronger associated with increased BMI (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), health status classified as \u0026quot;poor\u0026quot; (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and increase in the number of medical appointments (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDrug use was stronger associated with female gender (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), physical condition (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and daily stress (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), self-medication (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), hours of sleep (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDrug use was independent of other sociodemographic variables studied, and was independent from physical exercise and habit like smoking or use of illicit drugs.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWe assessed whether the year of medical school attendance is related to daily stress, the consumption of illicit substances and self-medication. Then we tested the relationship between the academic year and the use of medication.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash; Univariate analysis by university attendance year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFirst year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSecond year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThird year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eForth Year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFifth year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSixth year\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP-valor\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDaily stress N, (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e123\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e91\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e254\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e101\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e143\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e78\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.112\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigh\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e48 (39.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32 (35.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e126 (49.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43 (42.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e68 (47.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32 (41.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModerate\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e69 (56.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e51 (56.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e107 (42.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e52 (51.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61 (42.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43 (55.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eReduced\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6 (4.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8 (8.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21 (8.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6 (5.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14 (9.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (3.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eConsumption of illicit substances N, (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e100\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e175\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e112\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e55\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.133\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo habits\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e88 (88)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e80 (100)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e150 (85.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e73 (89.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e93 (83.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e55 (100)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCannabis\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10 (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25 (14.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6 (7.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19 (17.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCocaine\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2 (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEcatasy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (3.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSelf-medication N, (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e105\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e87\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e228\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e92\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e129\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.670\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNever\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10 (9.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12 (13.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e29 (12.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9 (9.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12 (9.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8 (12.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRarely\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e55 (52.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e50 (57.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e121 (53.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e46 (50)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e74 (57.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e27 (43.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAt least 1 a month\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e34 (32.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25 (28.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e70 (30.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e31 (33.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39 (30.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23 (37.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePractilly every week\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6 (5.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8 (3.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6 (6.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4 (3.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4 (6.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePrescription medications N, (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e111\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e91\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e234\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e92\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e66\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.015\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNone\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e46 (41.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e48 (52.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e105 (44.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25 (27.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e48 (35.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30 (45.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 to 2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e53 (47.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e31 (34.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e101 (43.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e49 (53.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e65 (48.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28 (42.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 to 4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8 (7.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8 (8.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23 (9.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15 (16.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22 (16.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8 (12.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4 (3.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4 (4.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5 (2.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (3.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe year of entry into medical school was not correlated with daily stress, consumption of illicit substances and self-medication.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRegarding self-medication, there were also no substantial differences between the years, although the data suggest a constant practice throughout the course, with a prevalence of occasional use in approximately 50\u0026ndash;60% of students, with no marked variations between the academic years. Regarding the use of prescription drugs, it was observed that students in the most advanced years (fourth, fifth and sixth years) use prescription drugs more frequently, especially among the fourth year, when the percentage of students who did not use any medication was significantly lower.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWe also assessed whether having a healthcare professional in the household or living in the family home influences medication consumption.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash; Univariate analysis by family factors\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePrescription medications N, (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNone\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 to 2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 to 4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP-valor\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHealthcare professional in the household\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.002\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e73 (34.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e111 (52.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28 (13.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e229 (44.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e217 (41.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e56 (10.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16 (3.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTo live with the family during the school period\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.01\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62 (36.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e82 (48.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20 (11.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9 (5.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e240 (43.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e246 (44.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e64 (11.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7 (1.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe results presented indicate statistically significant differences in the use of prescribed medicines, associated with both the presence of a health professional in the household and the fact that the student lives with the family during the school period.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents who have a health care professional in the family tend to consume fewer medications, suggesting more moderation in medication use: 52.4% have consumed 1 to 2 medications, while no individual reported consuming more than 5 medications. In contrast, those without an aggregate health professional have greater diversity in consumer standards, with 3.1% consuming more than 5 medicines and a lower proportion (41.9%) consuming 1 to 2 medications. The results show a significant association between having a family health professional and the number of medications taken, based on the chi-square test (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002) and other likelihood tests, such as Fisher\u0026apos;s (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001). The association is weak to moderate, as shown by the Fi coefficient (0.141, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002), suggesting that the health profession in the family influences the number of medications taken. However, there is no clear linear trend between the variables, as indicated by the linear association test (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.323). In summary, although there is a significant association, it does not follow a strong linear pattern.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents living with the family had higher drug consumption in high doses (\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;5), with 5.3% of cases, compared to only 1.3% for those who do not live with the family. On the other hand, a higher proportion of these students (48.0%) consumed 1 to 2 medicines.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStudents who do not live with the family have higher moderate consumption (44.2% to 1 to 2 medications) and less high consumption (\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;5 medications).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe high prevalence of drug use, including self-medication, among medical students has become a growing global concern. Easy access to both prescription and over-the-counter medications may lead to indiscriminate use, often without proper medical guidance. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e) Our findings showed a high prevalence of self-medication among medical students. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e) In line with the literature, drug consumption was higher among women, with the most commonly used therapeutic classes being analgesics, anti-inflammatories, antiallergics, and anxiolytics/hypnotics. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e) While these medications are effective in treating various conditions, their inappropriate use can lead to serious side effects, and even dependence. In addition, self-medication often masks symptoms of underlying diseases, delaying accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe demanding academic environment in medical school significantly contributes to the increased use of medications. High workloads and continuous stress drive many students to seek pharmaceutical solutions to cope with academic demands, such as psychostimulants. The use of anxiolytics and antidepressants, frequently employed to manage anxiety and emotional distress, is concerning, as it may lead to dependency and long-term mental health issues. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e) Another important finding was the high number of medical apointments and prescribed drug consumption, despite the fact that this is a young and theoretically healthy population. The most frequently reported health conditions associated with medication use were pain, inflammation, psycho-emotional disorders, and infections. This pattern suggests that, despite their medical knowledge, students may not be immune to excessive or inappropriate drug use.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe consumption of alcohol and illicit substances by medical also warrant attention. Our study revealed a concerning percentage of students who reported regular alcohol use and occasional illicit substance consumption, such as cannabis. This behavior may be linked to academic stress and the need for temporary relief from academic pressures. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e) However, these substances can impair cognitive function, memory, and professional judgment, increasing the risk of mental health issues.(\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e) Implementing institutional strategies to promote healthy coping mechanisms and provide psychological support could be crucial in mitigating these negative effects on students' academic and professional futures.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother significant finding was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students\u0026rsquo; medication habits. The increased use of antidepressants and anxiolytics reflects the profound psychological effects of the pandemic, including social isolation, fear of illness, and economic uncertainty. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e) ​​ While these medications play a critical role in treating mental health disorders, their prescription should be carefully monitored to prevent prolonged use without appropriate supervision. Alternative therapeutic approaches, such as psychological support and stress management strategies, should be encouraged to minimize the pandemic's long-term impact on students' mental health.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur results also suggest an increasing trend in daily stress as students progress through medical school, with moderate stress being more prevalent in the early years and high stress peaking in the intermediate years. While illicit substance use did not show a statistically significant correlation with academic year, cannabis consumption appeared to increase from the third year onward. This finding highlights the need for early interventions to reduce the impact of stress on students' well-being and prevent substance use as a coping mechanism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFamily context also emerged as a significant factor influencing medication consumption habits. Students with family members in the healthcare field showed lower consumption of prescription medications, suggesting greater awareness of rational drug use. Conversely, students who lived with their families during the academic year reported higher medication use, particularly high-dose consumption (\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;5 drugs). This may be related to increased parental dependence due to clinical or emotional fragility. The influence of family context underscores the importance of both familial and educational support in promoting healthy medication use among medical students.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese findings reinforce the urgent need for institutional measures to raise awareness about rational drug use and promote students' well-being. The implementation of psychological support programs, educational campaigns on responsible medication use, and the integration of mental health-focused courses into medical curricula could contribute to the development of more balanced and conscientious healthcare professionals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eStudy Limitations:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter this study we were confronted with the following limitations:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eTransverse study design: As a cross -sectional study, it is impossible to establish causal relationships between the factors analyzed (such as stress levels, lifestyle and drug consumption) and observed consumption patterns. Only associations can be reported.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eSelf -report bias: Data collection was performed through online questionnaires, which may lead to self -relate bias, such as sub or overestimation of drug consumption or omission of the use of illicit substances due to stigma. Without objective confirmation (such as medical revenues, pharmacy records or toxicological examinations),\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eSample limited to a single institution/absence of comparison with other populations: The study was conducted only with medical students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra (FMUC). This limits the generalization of results to other populations of medical students or academics in general.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpecific data collection period: Data collection occurred between September 2023 and April 2024, which may reflect specific consumer behaviors associated with the academic context (as beginning or end of semester).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study valuable insights into drug consumption patterns of medical students, highlighting both concerning trends and opportunities for targeted interventions. The findings reveal a significant prevalence of drug use among FMUC students, with high rates of medical consultations and prescribed medication consumption\u0026mdash;an apparent paradox in a young and theoretically healthy population.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, the study underscores the influence of family context on drugs use, emphasizing the role of psychological and emotional support in shaping students' health behaviors. Given these findings, universities must take an active role in promoting student well-being by implementing health programs, raising awareness about responsible medication use, and ensuring access to adequate psychological support. Such measures are crucial not only for the students' immediate well-being but also for fostering the development of future healthcare professionals who are both clinically competent and mentally resilient.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn conclusion, this study reinforces the urgent need for comprehensive emotional and psychological support strategies tailored to this population.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors state that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be interpreted as a potential conflict of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Approval and Consent to Participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra (FMUC) (approval number CE-018/2023). All participants provided informed consent before completing the questionnaire.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for Publication:\u003c/strong\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHuman and Animal Rights:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. No animals were involved in this research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTrial Registration:\u003c/strong\u003e not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of Data and Materials:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests:\u003c/strong\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCabrita J, Ferreira H, Igl\u0026eacute;sias P, Baptita T, Rocha E, Silva A, Miguel JP; Estudo do padr\u0026atilde;o de consumo de medicamentos pelos estudantes da Universidade de Lisboa. REVISTA PORTUGUESA DE SA\u0026Uacute;DE P\u0026Uacute;BLICA. VOL. 19, N.o 2 \u0026mdash; JULHO/DEZEMBRO 2001\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDyrbye, Liselotte N. MD; Thomas, Matthew R. MD; Shanafelt, Tait D. MD. Systematic Review of Depression, Anxiety, and Other Indicators of Psychological Distress Among U.S. and Canadian Medical Students. Academic Medicine 81(4):p 354-373, April 2006.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDusan V Backović, Milos Maksimović, Dragana Davidović,, Jelena Ilić Zivojinovic, Dejan Stevanović., Stress and mental health among medical students, 2013Nov-Dec; 141(11-12):780-4.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaram M. Al-Shahrani 1, Bushra S. Alasmri. The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Academic Stress among Medical Students of King Khalid University: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study, Healthcare 2023, 11, 2029. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11142029.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHonnekeri, Amalesh; Bhaveshaikh, Nachiket; Shah, Medha; Nayak, Usha. Self-medication in medical students in urban India: Exploring the extent of this dangerous practice. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care 13(8):p 3381-3387, August 2024. | DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_178_24\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFond G, Bourbon A, Boucekine M, Messiaen M, Barrow V, Auquier P, Lan\u0026ccedil;on C, Boyer L. First-year French medical students consume antidepressants and anxiolytics while second-years consume non-medical drugs. J Affect Disord. 2020 Mar 15;265:71-76. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.035. Epub 2020 Jan 15. PMID: 31957694.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBehzadifar M, Behzadifar M, Aryankhesal A, Ravaghi H, Baradaran HR, Sajadi HS, Khaksarian M, Bragazzi NL. Prevalence of self-medication in university students: systematic review and meta-analysis. East Mediterr Health J. 2020 Jul 23;26(7):846-857. doi: 10.26719/emhj.20.052. PMID: 32794171.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAhmed I, King R, Akter S, Akter R, Aggarwal VR. Determinants of antibiotic self-medication: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2023 Jul;19(7):1007-1017. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.03.009. Epub 2023 Mar 21. PMID: 37019706.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNasui BA, Popa M, Buzoianu AD, Pop AL, Varlas VN, Armean SM, Popescu CA. Alcohol Consumption and Behavioral Consequences in Romanian Medical University Students. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jul 15;18(14):7531. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18147531. PMID: 34299980; PMCID: PMC8304642.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOliveira LG, Barroso LP, Wagner GA, Ponce Jde C, Malbergier A, Stempliuk Vde A, Andrade AG. Drug consumption among medical students in S\u0026atilde;o Paulo, Brazil: influences of gender and academic year. Braz J Psychiatry. 2009 Sep;31(3):227-39. doi: 10.1590/s1516-44462009000300008. PMID: 19784490.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOliveira LG, Barroso LP, Wagner GA, Ponce Jde C, Malbergier A, Stempliuk Vde A, Andrade AG. Drug consumption among medical students in S\u0026atilde;o Paulo, Brazil: influences of gender and academic year. Braz J Psychiatry. 2009 Sep;31(3):227-39. doi: 10.1590/s1516-44462009000300008. PMID: 19784490.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGarc\u0026iacute;a MLN, Mart\u0026iacute;nez PF, Bret\u0026oacute;n EF, Mart\u0026iacute;nez Alfonso MM, Gil PS. Psychotropic consumption before and during COVID-19 in Asturias, Spain. BMC Public Health. 2023 Mar 15;23(1):494. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-15360-0. PMID: 36918825; PMCID: PMC10014411.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTichy EM, Hoffman JM, Tadrous M, Rim MH, Suda KJ, Cuellar S, Clark JS, Newell MK, Schumock GT. National trends in prescription drug expenditures and projections for 2023. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2023 Jul 7;80(14):899-913. doi: 10.1093/ajhp/zxad086. PMID: 37094296.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Pharmacological habits, Medical students, Substance use, Self-medication, Cross-sectional study, Medical education","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7489117/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7489117/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003ePrevious studies indicate that medical students exhibit the highest levels of stress among academic populations. However, few studies have analyzed overall drug use in this group, including self-medication and illicit drug consumption. The aim of this study was to characterize the drug consumption patterns of medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra (FMUC).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA cross-sectional study was conducted with FMUC medical students between September 2023 and April 2024 using an online questionnaire. Sociodemographic and health data were collected to characterize the medication consumption patterns and identify predictors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA total of 791 valid responses were obtained. The average age was 21.0 ± 2.8 years, with 74.2% women. Approximately 80.3% of students reside in Coimbra, and 75.7% do not live with their family during the academic period. Regarding health status, 83.9% rated it as \"excellent/very good\" or \"good,\" while 14.5% described it as \"adequate\" and 1.5% as \"poor.\" Half of the students (48.7%) reported moderate daily stress, and 44.1% reported high stress. Ninety-two percent of students consumed medication in the last year, with 88.6% engaging in self-medication. Drug consumption was higher in women (93.5%, p=0.001) and was directly associated with daily stress.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe most commonly used drug groups were anti-inflammatories (23.6%), analgesics (21.5%), and antihistamines (17.2%). Drug consumption by medical students is significant, with a notable increase in consumption, particularly antidepressants and anxiolytics, was observed after the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study highlights the critical importance of raising awareness among students, universities, and healthcare agencies regarding pharmacological habits.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Pattern of Pharmacological Habits among Medical Students – a cross sectional study","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-10 17:20:39","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7489117/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"0f86aa1c-538a-4d68-91a0-c2abd4219506","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 10th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-12-10T09:54:43+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-10 17:20:39","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7489117","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7489117","identity":"rs-7489117","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}