TABLE 1.
Prevalence of the use of prescription medication among second and third year medical students at the University of the Free State over a period of 12 months.
| Medication | Number of occurrences over a period of 12 months |
|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 |
3–5 |
6–10 |
11–19 |
20–39 |
≥ 40 |
Total |
||||||||
| n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | |
| Drugs for ADHD with prescription | ||||||||||||||
| Second year (n = 108) | 1 | 0.9 | 1 | 0.9 | 4 | 3.7 | 0 | - | 0 | - | 4 | 3.7 | 10 | 9.3 |
| Third year (n = 58) | 2 | 3.5 | 1 | 1.7 | 2 | 3.5 | 0 | - | 0 | - | 5 | 8.6 | 10 | 17.2 |
| Drugs for ADHD without prescription | ||||||||||||||
| Second year (n = 112) | 9 | 8.0 | 1 | 0.9 | 1 | 0.9 | 0 | - | 1 | 0.9 | 0 | - | 12 | 10.7 |
| Third year (n = 58) | 3 | 5.2 | 2 | 3.5 | 2 | 3.5 | 1 | 1.7 | 2 | 3.5 | 0 | - | 10 | 17.2 |
| Sedatives or tranquillisers with prescription | ||||||||||||||
| Second year (n = 111) | 2 | 1.8 | 0 | - | 1 | 0.9 | 1 | 0.9 | 0 | - | 2 | 1.8 | 6 | 5.4 |
| Third year (n = 58) | 4 | 6.9 | 1 | 1.7 | 0 | - | 0 | - | 0 | - | 3 | 5.2 | 8 | 13.8 |
| Sedatives or tranquillisers without prescription | ||||||||||||||
| Second year (n = 110) | 6 | 5.5 | 2 | 1.8 | 0 | - | 0 | - | 0 | - | 1 | 0.9 | 9 | 8.2 |
| Third year (n = 58) | 2 | 3.5 | 1 | 1.7 | 0 | - | 0 | - | 0 | - | 1 | 1.7 | 4 | 6.9 |
ADHD, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.