Abstract

Background: Substance addiction and problems arising out of it are changing from time to time and need to be updated in curriculum of medical students. Present study was aimed to analyze knowledge and awareness regarding substance addiction in medical students of Valsad District of Gujarat, India.

Materials and Methods: Total 135 medical students of 2nd year MBBS were exposed to pre-tested and pre-validated Likert scale type questionnaire regarding knowledge and awareness of substance addiction after obtaining their informed written consent. Data obtained were analyzed via median score and tabulated.

Results: Most of the students had knowledge about drug addiction and habituation, physiological and psychological dependence due to drugs and various methods for addiction of various drugs. Medical students had poor knowledge and awareness regarding punishment for use of illegal drugs, deaddiction centre and its role in drug addictive patients and neither had they visited de-addiction centre ever. They had less knowledge regarding short term and long-term complications of drug abuse. Medical students had little knowledge about various drugs causing addiction and clinical features of various addictive drugs

Conclusion: Knowledge and awareness regarding substance addiction is found to be very poor among 2nd MBBS students which can be overcome by educational programs like interactive lecture as well as visit to de-addiction centre.

Keywords: Addiction pattern; Medical students; Valsad; Gujarat; Knowledge; Awareness