Substance use and its association with mental health among Swiss medical students

A cross-sectional study

Bibliographic Data

ID19274841
AuthorsJacques Gaume (0000-0002-9149-0994, Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland, corresponding author), Valérie Carrard (0000-0001-7355-9567, Psychiatric Liaison Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland), Sylvie Berney (0000-0001-7099-6999, Service of General Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland), Céline Bourquin (0000-0001-9584-2929, Psychiatric Liaison Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland), Alexandre Berney (0000-0001-9535-1222, Psychiatric Liaison Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland)
Year2024
Volume70
Issue4
Pages808-817
Publication date2024-06-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Social Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0020-7640 • E-ISSN: 1741-2854
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00207640241232321
PMID38420921
OpenAlexW4392294686
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited32

BACKGROUND: Studies on mental health and substance use among medical students indicated worrying prevalence but have been mainly descriptive. AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of substance use in a sample of medical students and investigate whether mental health variables have an influence on substance use. METHODS: = 886 students were included and completed an online survey including measures of mental health (depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, stress, and burnout) and use of and risk related with several substances (tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, stimulants, sedatives, hallucinogens, opioids, nonmedical prescription drugs, and neuroenhancement drugs). We evaluated the prevalence of use of each substance and then tested the association between mental health and substance use in an Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling framework. RESULTS: Statistical indices indicated a four-factor solution for mental health and a three-factor solution for substance use. A factor comprising risk level for alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use - which were the most prevalent substances - was significantly associated with a burnout factor and a factor related to financial situation and side job stress. There was a significant association between a factor comprising depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation and a factor related to the use of sedatives, nonmedical prescription drugs and neuroenhancement drugs. Although their use was less prevalent, a factor comprising the risk level of stimulants and cocaine use was significantly but more mildly related to the burnout factor. A factor comprising stress related to studies and work/life balance as well as emotional exhaustion was not related to substance use factors. CONCLUSION: In this sample of medical students, the prevalence of substance use was substantial and poorer mental health status was related with higher substance use risk levels

Anxiety · Cannabis · Cross-sectional study · Depression (economics) · Environmental health · Medical prescription · Mental health · Poison control · Protective factor · Psychiatry · Risk factor · Substance abuse · Suicidal ideation · Suicide prevention · Clinical Psychology · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

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