Evaluating the Knowledge, Attitude, and Performance of Students from the Ilam University of Medical Sciences Regarding the Use of Stimulants

Abstract

Background: University students' attitude and desire to use stimulants and hallucinogens are mainly aroused as a result of their ignorance or lack of knowledge. Objectives: The present study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and performance of medical students in Ilam regarding the use of stimulants. Methods: This cross-sectional study encompassed 451 students from the Ilam University of Medical Sciences in 2019. The demographic information questionnaire, Addiction Susceptibility Questionnaire (ASQ), and Questionnaire of Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior were used to collect the required data. Moreover, there were reports of mean and standard deviation for quantitative variables and frequency and percentage for qualitative variables. Chi-square, ANOVA, and independent-samples t-tests were used to examine the relationship among the research variables. Results: A majority of students were undergraduates (> 60%), and about 33% of the participants were medical students. About 8% of the participants reported the lifetime use of stimulants. Moreover, 40% of students had insufficient knowledge, and the participants’ mean score of attitude was 16. There was a significant relationship between students' knowledge with their age, marital status, faculty, and level of education. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between the participants’ performance with age, level of education, and faculty. A significant relationship was also detected between the students’ attitude with their faculty and level of education. Conclusions: The medical students’ knowledge level was not satisfactory. Accordingly, training sessions and counseling programs are recommended to increase their knowledge and improve their attitudes.