SILVA. E. H. V.; BATISTA, T. R. G.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/7693277280023354; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3082081841588181; SILVA, Eugênio Henrique Vilela.; BATISTA, Thaís Rocha Gomes.
Abstract:
The use of psychotropic medications by the general population has increased
over the years, due to several factors triggering mental illness in contemporary times
plus abuse and self-medication. Among the medical scholars, largely young people
who deal with various ills and external and internal pressures, this reality is not
different. Due to this, the study sought to delineate quantitatively the use of
psychotropic drugs among the medical students of the Federal University of
Campina Grande, as well as to understand some data about such use, such as
indication, prescriber, joint treatment with psychologists, some data on the
population studied, such as gender, city of origin before starting college, and a
sketch of factors that could record mental illness throughout the twelve semesters
of the course. For this, a self-administered questionnaire and simple statistical
analysis of the data collected were used. The sample consisted of 354 students,
from the first to the second semester, with 172 males and 182 females. A prevalence
of 30% of psychotropic use among students was observed, more frequent among
women and among students of the last semesters, with antidepressants being the
drugs most frequently cited. Most students who have never used psychotropic drugs
believe they have needed expert help because of factors such as anxiety, stress,
and depressed mood; however, the majority said that they did not seek help. It is
concluded that the use of psychotropics among medical students of the Federal
University of Campina Grande is high, and that measures of mental health
promotion of this population should be taken by the academic community.
