Risk behaviour of medical students from 2008/2009 to 2018/2019

UVOD: Pušenje cigareta, konzumacija alkohola i psihoaktivnih droga može biti dio eksperimentiranja tijekom adolescencije, ali može dovesti i do ovisnosti i razvoja bolesti koje smanjuju kvalitetu i očekivano trajanje života. Studenti su skupina mladih s povećanim rizikom za epizode teškog opijanja i drugih rizičnih ponašanja. Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi učestalost i trend pušenja cigareta, konzumacije alkohola i eksperimentiranja s drogama među studentima prve godine medicine od akademske godine 2008./2009. do 2018./2019. ----- METODE: Provedeno je retrospektivno istraživanje rizičnog ponašanja studenata prve godine Integriranog preddiplomskog i diplomskog studija medicine u Zagrebu analizom podataka dobivenih presječnim istraživanjem generacija studenata prve godine od akademske godine 2008./2009. do 2018./2019. Podatci su prikupljeni putem anonimnog upitnika „Zdravstveni i socijalni problemi mladeži“. Podatci su analizirani metodama deskriptivne (χ2 test, Fisherov egzaktni test) i analitičke statistike (model jednostavne linearne regresije pomoću metode najmanjih kvadrata, t-test) uz razinu značajnosti α=0,05. ----- REZULTATI: Analizom podataka ukupno je obuhvaćeno 3155 studenata (96,7%), od toga 62,6% djevojaka. Nije utvrđena statistički značajna razlika u svakodnevnom pušenju među generacijama studenata od akademske godine 2008./2009. do 2018./2019., dok učestalost povremenog pušenja bilježi statistički značajan porast (t-test=3,064; P=0,014). Učestalost konzumacije pet i više pića među studentima u blagom je, ali statistički značajnom porastu (t-test=2,3515; P=0,043). Učestalost eksperimentiranja s drogama pokazuje statistički značajan porast (t-test=3,0798; P=0,013) kroz generacije od akademske godine 2008./2009. do 2018./2019. ----- ZAKLJUČAK: Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da je rizično ponašanje studenata prve godine medicine u jedanaestogodišnjem periodu u porastu. Potrebno je provesti sveobuhvatne javnozdravstvene intervencije s ciljem smanjenja rizičnog ponašanja u populaciji studenata i mladih.INTRODUCTION: Cigarette smoking, alcohol and psychoactive drug consumption can be part of experimentation during adolescence. Students are a group of youth at increased risk for episodes of heavy drinking and other risky behaviors. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency and trend of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and drug experimentation among first-year medical students from the academic year 2008/2009 to 2018/2019. ----- METHODOLOGY: A retrospective study of the risk behavior of first-year students of the Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate Study of Medicine in Zagreb was conducted by analyzing data obtained by cross-sectional research of first-year generations of students from the academic year 2008/2009 to 2018/2019. Data were obtained by anonymous questionnaire and analysed by descriptive (χ2 test, Fisher's exact test) and analytical statistics (simple linear regression model using the least squares method, t-test) with a significance level of α = 0.05. ----- RESULTS: The analysis of data included a total of 3155 students (96.7%), 62.6% were girls. No statistically significant difference in daily smoking was found among generations of students from the academic year 2008/2009. to 2018/2019, while the frequency of occasional smoking recorded a statistically significant increase (t-test=3.064; P=0.014). The frequency of consumption of five or more beverages was in a slight but statistically significant increase (t-test=2.3515; P=0.043). The frequency of drug experimentation showed a statistically significant increase (t-test = 3.0798; P = 0.013) across generations since the academic year 2008/2009 to 2018/2019. ----- CONCLUSION: The results of the research showed that the risky behavior of first-year medical students in the eleven-year period was increasing. Comprehensive public health interventions are needed to reduce risky behavior in the student and youth population