Indian J. Psychiat. (1980), 22, 301--303
NON-MEDICAL DRUG USE AMONG INTERNS AND HOUSE-OFFICERS
R. K. CHOUDHARY', M.R.C. Psych., D.P-M. (England)
RAJPAL SINGH', M.D.
AJIT AVASTHI3
, M.li.B.S.
RAJEEV GUPTA1
, M.B.B.S.
SUMMARY
Self-administered questionnaire was given to a sample of 105 interns and house officers working
in Govt. Medical College, Jammu. Questionnaire WAS designed to obtain information about socio-demogra-
phic characteristics, the frequency of non-medical drug use during the last one year and to enquire about
"reasons" for drug intake. It was found that drugs commonly used were alcohol, tobacco, tranquillizers,
amphetamines, cannabis. Most of the subjects used the same for 'company', festivity or curiosity.
Recent studies have brought out an
alarming observation in the increasing in-
take of drugs by the younger generation
(WHO, 1973). Student community is more
prone to drug use. Mohan and Arora
(1979) reported prevalence rate of drug
abuse to the extent of 50% among the
Delhi University students. Agarwal el al.
(1975) reported that 60.7% students had
taken drugs at one time or the other in
their sample. Some other investigators
have reported similar results amongst medical
students or interns (Joshi and Bharadwaj,
1978, Sethi & Manchanda, 1977, Singh
& Singh, 1979).
AIMS
1. To study the nature, pattern, and
prevalence of non-medical drug use among
a group of interns and house officers.
2. To study the sociodemographic va-
riables in relation to drug usage and to
obtain an insight into the "reasons" for
indulgence in drugs.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
One hundred and five interns and
house officers in Govt. Medical College,
Jammu were included in die present study.
TABLE NO. I--Type of Drug used
Drug
Alcohol
Smoking
Tranquilizers
Amphetamins
Cannabis
Pain Killers
Total
(N=78)
N %
53 (60.8)
47* (60.2)
35 (44.9)
12 (15.4)
16 (20.5)
12* (15.4)
Hostlers
(N=28)
N %
21 (75.0)
25* (89.3)
12 (42.8)
6 (21.4)
8 (28.6)
1 ** (3.6)
Day
scholars
(N=50)
N %
32 (64)
23* (44)
23 (46)
6 (12)
8 (16)
11** (22)
Figures in parenthesis indicate percentages
*p<0.01, **p<0.05
TABLE NO. II--Frequency of Drug Use
Drug
Once a
while
(1-10 times
in a year)
Once a
month
Once a
week
Frequent
use
Alcohol 34 (64.1)
Smoking 20 (42.5)
Tranquilizers 38 (80.0)
Amphetamines 9 (75.0)
Cannabis 15 (93.7)
Pain Killers 3 (25.0)
9 (17.0) 4 (7.5) 6 (11.3)
1 (2.1) 2 (4.2) 24 (51.1)
5 (14.3) -- -- 2 (5.7)
1 (8.3) 1 (8.3) 1 (8.3)
1 (6.2)
2 (1.7) 2 (16.7) 5 (41.7)
Figure in parenthesis indicate percentage.
'H.O.D. Psychiatry, Govt. Medical College, Jammu and Medical Superintendent, Hospital for Psychiatric
Diseases, Jammu.
'Hon. Registrar
'House Officer \ Deptt., of Psychiatry, Govt. Medical College, Jammu.
4
House Officer
302 R. K. CHAUDHARY et al
TABLE No. Ill--Prevalence of Non-medical
drug use
Frequency of Drug Total Hostlers Day
use (N=78) (N=28) scholars
(N=50)
Once a while
(1-10 times in
a year) 31(39.74) 6(21.43) 25 (50)
Once amonth 10(12.82) 4(14.38) 6 (12)
Onece a week 5 (6.41) 2 ( 7 . 1 4 ) 3 (6)
Frequent use 32(42.02) 16(57.14) 16 (32)*
Figures in parenthesis indicate percentages.
*p<0.05, *p<0.02
TABLE NO. IV--Reasons for taking Drugs
Reasons Hostlers Day Total
(N=26) Scholars (N = 78)
(N=50)
For the sake of com-
pany 12 (42.85) 21 (42) 33
To celebrate some
special/occasions
parties etc. 12 (42.95) 18 (36) 30
Out of curiosity just
to experience the
effect of drug 12 (42.95) 13 (26) 25
To induce sleep 35(10.71) 13(26) 16
To get kicks, thrills
or pleasure 4 (14.38) 9 (18) 13
To overcome bore-
dome 3 (10.71) 7 (14) 10
To keep awake 2 (7.14) 4 (8) 8
Figures in parenthies indicate percentage
Predesigned non-identriable and self-ad-
ministered questionnaires covering the basic
socio-demographic aspects ; type, patterns,
frequency and reasons for the drug intake
were used for the purpose. Drug(s) taken
only during the last one year were to be
reported. Recorded information from males
was collected, the next day, while the
females were given self-addressed stamped
envelopes and requested to send by mail.
RESULTS
Out of one hundred and five subjects
only ninety-six responded. Thus the res-
ponder rate was 91.43%. There were
86.5% (86) males and 13.5% (13) females
among the responders. Whereas day
scholars (64.59%) out numbered the board-
ers, there were only 23.96% responders who
hailed from rural areas.
81.26% (78) were making use of
drug(s) during the last one year without a
medical prescription. There were 85.54%
males and 53.84% females who were using
drugs. Considering individual drugs alcohol
was used by 62.82%, tobacco by 60.25%,
tranquillizers by 44.87%, cannabis by
20.51% and amphetamines and pain killers
by 15.38% each. Use of methaqualone,
barbiturates and chewing tobacco was low ;
being used by 4, 2 and 3 respondents res-
pectively. Opiates and volatile agents were
not at all used. Use of pain killers and
smoking was higher in boarders than in day
scholars and difference was significant at
p<0.05 and <0.01 respectively.
Regarding the frequency of drugs used
51.06% made frequent use of pain killers.
There was no appreciable difference be-
tween the acceptance of drug among those
hailing from rural areas (78.26%) or urban
areas (82.14%) as well as between the
boarders (82.34%) and day scholars
(80.06%). To be part of a company or
to enjoy a festivity or often curiosity were
the commonly reported reasons for drug
intake, common to boarders and day-
scholars.
COMMENTS
The results showed that alcohol was
clearly number one drug, ever used by the
subjects (62.82%). It is in accordance
with the findings recently reported by
Mohan and Arora (1979), Mohan et al.
(1978) and Sethi and Manchanda (1978).
Next to Alcohol, tobacco was the drug
being utilized by the largest number of
NON-MEDICAL DRUG USE AMONG INTERNS AND HOUSE-OFFICERS 3 0 3
subjects (60.25%). Tobacco use was higher
in hostelers than among the day scholars.
Most studies have not included tobacco
among the drug surveys. However, Mohan
et al. (1978), who surveyed tobacco use
reported to a larger percentage of regular
use of tobacco as compared to other drugs.
Tranquillizers were also used by a larger
part of the sample (44.87%), though use
was only once in a while for about 80% of
the subjects. Among the other drugs,
amphetamine & cannabis were used by
the subjects. However, the frequency was
negligible. Similar findings have been re-
ported by Varma (1977, 1979) and Mohan
et al. (1978).
Several reports are emerging from differ-
ent parts of the country about the drug use
amongst students and general population.
There is, however, a considerable need
to standardize the methodologies employed
in such studies.
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