The Nonmedical Use of Prescription Stimulants Among Dental and Dental Hygiene Students

• Published in: Journal of dental education Vol. 75; no. 3; pp. 365 - 376
• Main Authors: McNiel, Amanda D., Muzzin, Kathleen B., DeWald, Janice P., McCann, Ann L., Schneiderman, Emet D., Scofield, JoAnn, Campbell, Patricia R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Dental Education Association 01.03.2011
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Amphetamines - adverse effects; Amphetamines - therapeutic use; amphetamine‐related disorders; Attention - drug effects; attention deficit disorder; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - drug therapy; Attitude to Health; Central Nervous System Stimulants; dental hygiene students; Dental Hygienists - education; dental students; Dentistry; Ethnic Groups; Female; Health Behavior; Humans; Male; Methylphenidate - adverse effects; Methylphenidate - therapeutic use; Prescription Drugs; Risk-Taking; Schools, Dental; Sex Factors; Southeastern United States - epidemiology; Southwestern United States - epidemiology; Stress, Physiological - physiology; Stress, Psychological - physiopathology; student stress; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Students, Dental - psychology; Students, Dental - statistics & numerical data; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Young Adult; Southeastern United States; Southwestern United States
• ISSN: 0022-0337; 1930-7837
• DOI: 10.1002/j.0022-0337.2011.75.3.tb05050.x

The purpose of this study was to determine the nonmedical use of prescription attention deficit disorder (ADD) stimulant medication among dental and dental hygiene students. A questionnaire was used to examine demographic information, student experiences, and perceptions of prescription stimulant medication and to determine if students used a prescription stimulant nonmedically. In 2008, 401 surveys were mailed to dental education institutions in the south‐central region of the United States, and 243 surveys (61 percent) were returned. The survey found that 12.4 percent of these students used a prescription stimulant nonmedically and, of those, 70 percent took it to improve attention and/or concentration. The most commonly reported stimulant medication used nonmedically was Adderall (77 percent). The majority (87 percent) of the students obtained the medication through friends, and 90 percent began using the drug in college. Even though 74 percent of the students reported being stressed, chi‐square analysis found no significant association between nonmedical use of ADD stimulant medication and stress level (p=0.585). Sixteen percent of the students surveyed felt it was easy to obtain stimulant medication for nonmedical use at their school, and 17 percent thought it was a problem within their institution. These results may help administrators and faculty members become aware of potential problems with the misuse of ADD stimulant medication.