Non-medical use of prescription drugs amongst University of Malta students

Abstract

The non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD), mostly psychotropic drugs, is registering an increase in prevalence worldwide, with emerging adults being considered a vulnerable group. In Malta, the evidence base for the prevalence of NMUPD is somewhat lacking, especially for this age group. This paper documents data on the prevalence of NMUPD among University of Malta (UOM) students and explores patterns of use including: age of initial use, source, motivation for use, and use of prescription drugs together with alcohol. The relationship of NMUPD with a number of socio-demographic variables is also examined. An anonymous online questionnaire distributed to the entire UOM student population was used to collect the data. Of the 347 students who completed the questionnaire, 7% reported lifetime non-medical use of opioids, 3.5% reported lifetime non-medical use of CNS depressants and 2.8% reported lifetime non-medical use of CNS stimulants. Consistent with the literature on the subject, female students reported higher engagement in NMUPD than males. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations.