P46. Health risks of alcohol and marijuana consumption: a study of nursing students’ perception

Learner category:

Expert Level

Learning objectives:

Participants will verify the nursing students’ perception difference between the existence of health risks from different frequencies of alcohol and marijuana consumption and the variables: gender, age group and year of graduation.

Abstract

In contemporary global times, the abuse and polydrug use of drugs by college nursing students has been well documented in international literature. The social impacts of recreational use of psychoactive substances by this population have been of concern. There is a tendency to deny these impacts on health risks, academic performance and professional future. This is a cross-sectional study through the application of questionnaires with 120 nursing students from Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio das Ostras campus. Statistical analysis by the SPSS program, version 21, involved the chi-square test. The results indicate that the perception of health risks differed significantly only among students of different age groups about the pattern of consumption of three doses of alcohol once a week (p=0.03) and for the consumption of marijuana (p=0.01) once a week. It is concluded that the knowledge acquired during graduation has not been sufficient to impact the risk perception of nursing students regarding the frequency of alcohol and marijuana use. There is evidence on the need for new studies that collaborate for the understanding of risk perception and attitudes of nursing students about levels and frequencies of simultaneous use of different drugs. Digital and face-to-face education strategies to sensitize students about the possible negative impacts on health care and self-care resulting from drug use should be promoted in the training context of the nurse.

Authors

Marcela de Abreu Moniz

Fluminense Federal University

Assistant Professor and Researcher at the Department of Nursing of the Institute of Humanities and Health, Rio das Ostras campus/ Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF).

Lidia Santos Soares

Fluminense Federal University

Associate Professor and Researcher of the Nursing Department of the Institute of Humanities and Health, Rio das Ostras campus/ Fluminense Federal University

Cláudia de Carvalho Dantas

Fluminense Federal University

Associate Professor and Researcher of the Nursing Department of the Institute of Humanities and Health, Rio das Ostras campus/ Fluminense Federal University.

P46. Health risks of alcohol and marijuana consumption: a study of nursing students’ perception