Understanding the relationship between safety beliefs and knowledge for cognitive enhancers in UK university students

Abstract

Background Cognitive enhancers (CE) are prescription drugs taken, either without a prescription or at a dose exceeding that which is prescribed, to improve cognitive functions such as concentration, vigilance or memory. Previous research suggests that users believe the drugs to be safer than non-users and that they have sufficient knowledge to judge safety. However, to date no research has compared the information sources used and safety knowledge of users and non-users. Objectives This study compared users and non-users of CE in terms of i) their sources of knowledge about the safety of CE and ii) the accuracy of their knowledge of possible adverse effects of a typical cognitive enhancer (modafinil); and iii) how the accuracy of knowledge relates to their safety beliefs. Methods Students (N = 148) from King’s College London (UK) completed an anonymous online survey assessing safety beliefs, sources of knowledge and knowledge of the safety of modafinil; and indicated whether they used CE, and, if so, which drug(s). Results The belief that the drugs are safe was greater in users than non-users. However, both groups used comparable information sources and have similar, relatively poor drug safety knowledge. Furthermore, despite users more strongly believing in the safety of CE there was no relationship between their beliefs and knowledge, in contrast to non-users who did show correlations between beliefs and knowledge. Conclusion These data suggest that the differences in safety beliefs about CE between users and non-users do not stem from use of different information sources or more accurate safety knowledge.

Exploring the understanding, source of availability and level of access of cognitive enhancers among university students in the United Arab Emirates: A qualitative study

“…The findings from Part I of this study show that compared to non‐users, CE users more commonly perceive CE drugs as safe, and that users strongly believe that they know enough about the drugs to use them safely. These results are in line with those of another study (Nguyen et al., 2021). Furthermore, most non‐users seemed to be resilient despite the views and behaviours of CE users.…”

“…Students have expressed belief in the safety of CEs as the drugs are prescribed medication, street drugs, and are safe because they have gone through extensive testing by pharmaceutical companies and are prescribed by medical professionals. These results are in line with another study (Nguyen et al., 2021; Ram et al., 2020). However, researchers have voiced their concerns about university students' use of CEs under false consideration that CEs have a positive impact rather than a negative one in their personal and academic life, this means those adult students are at a high risk (Greely et al., 2008; Lucke et al., 2018).…”

Do Medical Universities Students Use Cognitive Enhancers while Learning?—Conclusions from the Study in Poland

“…The leading source of knowledge about CEs cited by the students was the Internet, followed by medical books and friends or family members. As indicated by Nguyen et al [ 28 ], the Internet was also the primary source of information about the safety of CEs, followed by the experience of peers, personal experience, and, in fourth place, scientific research. However, it is principal to mention that even though the cited earlier study pointed out the Internet was the most frequently used source of knowledge, it was, at the same time, indicated as the fourth most reliable source.…”

“…On the other hand, in the group of Lithuanian medical students [ 19 ], the prevalence of nootropics (piracetam or vinpocetine) use was 4%, but it is still less than in our survey. Among different pharmacological CEs, modafinil was the most often chosen substance by the students in the study from the United Kingdom [ 28 ], and methylphenidate was more than 20 times less frequently. Depending on the availability of such drugs in different countries, the prevalence of psychostimulant medicines varies greatly [ 33 ].…”

Cognitive Enhancers Consumption: Prevalence, Knowledge, and Determinants of use among medical students in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. A multicentric cross-sectional study

“…Another recent cross-sectional study executed on medical students in Poland showed that 52.3% were CE users (10). Moreover, most of the reported studies found that there is a lack of knowledge about the safe use of these substances among university students (11).…”