Analysis of opium use by students of medical sciences.

Aims And Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of opium use in university students.

Background: University health professionals and authorities are very concerned about substance use among university students.

Design: A survey with a representative sample of 2519 (1126 men and 1393 women) university students and opium use disorders assessed by means of DSM-IV criteria (Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV Axis I during the year 2003).

Findings: Mean age of the sample was 23.8 year and SD was 3.9. Of the students, 110 (4.4%) admitted using of opium once or more during their lives (9.1% of men and 0.6% of women; P < 0.01). Fifty (2%) were occasional opium user (4.2% of men and 0.2% of women; P < 0.01). Nineteen (0.8%) were current opium user (1.4% of men and 0.2% of women; P = 0.001). Mean age of opium users was higher than the remainder. Opium use was significantly related to gender (P = 0.001), and life stress (P = 0.04).

Conclusion: These findings can be considered for preventive and therapeutic programmes, because early intervention during the formative university years may present an opportunity to reduce the risk of long-term problems, to decrease social and individual harm and also to promote public health of society.

Relevance To Clinical Practice: These findings can be considered in clinical practice for detection and treatment of opioid abuse.