Nursing students: medication use, psychoactive substances and health conditions

ABSTRACT Objective: to assess the use of nonprescription psychoactive medications and their associations with psychoactive substance use and health aspects among nursing students. Method: a cross-sectional study conducted with 182 students at a nursing school in the city of Vale do Ribeira, Brazil. Sociodemographic information, screening for alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, information on physical and mental health and physical activity practices were assessed. Results: more than half of the students (79.2%) used psychoactive drugs without prescription, with a predominance of monthly consumption. Consumption of these drugs was found to be associated with alcohol use, binge drinking, smoking and illicit drug use. Conclusion: the findings have implications for the implementation of health promotion strategies among nursing students, in view of lifestyle changes.

摘要
**目的**：评估巴西护理专业学生的非处方精神活性药物（nonprescription psychoactive medications）使用情况，及其与精神活性物质使用（psychoactive substance use）、健康相关维度的关联。
**方法**：以巴西里贝拉谷市某护理院校的182名护理学生为研究对象，开展横断面研究（cross-sectional study）。本次研究采集了受试者的社会人口学信息（sociodemographic information），完成了酒精、烟草及其他药物使用情况筛查，并收集了躯体健康、心理健康与体力活动相关数据。
**结果**：逾半数（79.2%）的护理学生未凭处方使用精神活性药物，其中以每月规律性使用占比最高。研究发现，此类药物的使用与酒精使用、暴饮（binge drinking）、吸烟及非法药物使用（illicit drug use）存在显著关联。
**结论**：结合护理学生的生活方式改善需求，本研究结果对该群体健康促进策略（health promotion strategies）的实施具有重要参考价值。