The changing patterns of drinking, illicit drug use, stress, anxiety and depression in dental students in a UK dental school: a longitudinal study

Abstract

Objective To investigate alcohol and illicit drug use in a cohort of dental undergraduates through to VT year. Setting A UK dental school (with a medical school comparison group). Subjects and methods A cohort of dental students anonymously completed a lifestyle questionnaire about drinking and smoking, illicit drug use, stress, anxiety and depression in the spring of 1995 and 1998 as second and final year undergraduate students respectively, and in the summer of 1999 after one year working as qualified dentists. A parallel cohort of medical students also anonymously completed the questionnaire at the same time points in their undergraduate course as for the dental students, and at the end of a year working as Pre-Registration House Officers (PRHOs). Results The proportion of dental students in Newcastle drinking above the recommended low risk limits of alcohol declined from 47% as second year students to 25% as final year students and then it increased to 41% as qualified dentists, whilst in medical students it steadily increased over the three time points of the survey (33% to 43% to 54%). A greater proportion of dental students were drinking at hazardous levels at all three time-points, compared with medical students. Experimentation with illicit drugs ranged from 47% as second year students to 54% as final year students and to 51% as dentists. The prevalence of illicit drug use in medical students was similar to that in dental students. Forty seven per cent of the dental student cohort as second year students, 67% as final year students and 16% as dentists suffered from possible pathological anxiety, compared with 47%, 26% and 30% in the medical student cohort. The proportion of dentists suffering from stress decreased from 72% as final year students to 19% as dentists. In the medical student group, the proportion increased from 32% as final year students to 39% as PRHOs. Conclusion This longitudinal study revealed that a high proportion of dental students from Newcastle continue to drink excessively and experiment with illicit drugs both as undergraduates and as practising

A comparison of alcohol and drug use among dental undergraduates and a group of non-medical, professional undergraduates

“…These guidelines were also adopted in previous studies, 6,7 rather than the more lenient Department of Health guidelines. 21 There is no consensus on a definition for binge drinking.…”

“…These results were generally comparable to, or less than previous studies. 1,2,6,7 Four per cent of dental students admitted to being current users of ecstasy, compared to only 1.6% of law students. The consequences of being caught using illegal drugs are extremely serious, both legally, with the potential for imprisonment, and professionally, with the potential for being struck off, or refused admission to the dental register.…”

“…This is slightly lower than other studies. 6,7 The difference between the two groups of students may be due to the serious legal and ethical consequences of dental students using cannabis, but may also be due to the fact that more law students currently smoke tobacco, as inhaling cannabis by smoking is understood to be the most common way of taking the drug. Even though fewer dental risk' drinkers' current drug use was 50% for cannabis, 20% for ecstasy, 20% for amphetamines and 10% for other Class B and C drugs.…”

“…[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] The effects of excessive alcohol intake and use of illicit drugs have obvious potential consequences for the careers of dentists. Recent studies have shown that, following graduation, alcohol and drug habits either remain high, 7 or decrease, but remain 'at a level where personal harm is possible' . 16 The new publication by the GDC entitled Standards for dental professionals 17 does not specifically refer to use of alcohol and drugs, although 'misuse of drugs or alcohol' is listed as one of their criteria for a 'Fitness to Practise' referral.…”

General medicine and surgery for dental practitioners. Part 5 – psychiatry

“…7 It is therefore worth being alert to the signs of problematic substance use which, untreated, can be devastating on a personal, social and professional level.…”