{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T17:19:07Z","timestamp":1790356747973,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"AOSIS","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,9,23]],"date-time":"2019-09-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1569196800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Health SA Gesondheid"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Health professional students frequently use alcohol and narcotics. The potential impact on academic performance and professional behaviour is concerning.Aim: This study aimed to determine self-reported use of alcohol, illicit substances (e.g. cannabis, lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD], magic mushroom, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, methamphetamine and heroin), prescription medication and smoking habits, correlating academic performance.Setting: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State.Methods: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used. Information was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire, capturing demographics, self-reported academic performance, drinking and smoking habits, and substance use. Coded responses were analysed using the Remark Office OMR 8 Software System. Descriptive statistics were calculated for categorical variables.Results: Completed questionnaires comprised 171 students. A total of 78.4% of second year and 82.8% of third year students reported using alcohol. Twenty-two per cent of second year and 24.1% of third year students reported cannabis use. In the second year group, three (2.7%) students reported using magic mushroom, two (1.8%) reported cocaine, two (1.8%) reported ecstasy and one (0.9%) reported using methamphetamine. Only third year students reported using LSD or \u2018crack\u2019. Cigarette smoking was common \u2013 31.5% and 35.1% in both groups, respectively. Smokeless tobacco devices were used by 8.5% of second year and 7.1% of third year students. Almost 40% of both groups reported that they had smoked a water pipe. Academic performance achieved was mostly 60% \u2013 69% (38.9%) among second year students and 70% \u2013 79% (46.6%) among third year students.Conclusion: Self-reported use of alcohol and drugs and smoking among medical students is alarming. Additional student support, early identification and referral for management and\/or rehabilitation should be a priority at tertiary institutions responsible for training future healthcare professionals.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/hsag.v24i0.1041","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,9,18]],"date-time":"2019-09-18T06:45:30Z","timestamp":1568789130000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Second and third year medical students\u2019 self-reported alcohol and substance use, smoking habits and academic performance at a South African medical school"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"24","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7659-6371","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Annelize","family":"Vorster","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0420-5877","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anthonie M.","family":"Gerber","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4402-5050","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lynette J.","family":"Van der Merwe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7327-7009","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sanet","family":"Van Zyl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,9,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0001","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4103\/0971-5916.178617"},{"key":"ref0002","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0899-3289(01)00098-0"},{"key":"ref0003","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/0142159X.2012.731099"},{"key":"ref0004","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15288\/jsa.1994.55.149"},{"issue":"16","key":"ref0005","first-page":"15","volume":"8","author":"Budhathoki","year":"2010","journal-title":"Journal of Nepal Health Research Council"},{"key":"ref0006","author":"Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research","year":"2009","journal-title":"The CRAFFT screening tool"},{"key":"ref0007","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.ap.12060126"},{"key":"ref0008","author":"Drugwatch","year":"2015","journal-title":"Student health"},{"key":"ref0009","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.88.1.104"},{"key":"ref0010","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7196\/AJHPE.2016.v8i2.719"},{"key":"ref0011","first-page":"71","volume":"5","author":"Habibzadeh","year":"2011","journal-title":"Drug Design, Development and Therapy"},{"key":"ref0012","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1530-0277.2008.00740.x"},{"key":"ref0013","author":"Ialomiteanu","year":"2015","journal-title":"CAMH monitor 2014: Metadata user\u2019s eGuide"},{"key":"ref0014","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/ACM.0000000000001138"},{"key":"ref0015","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4102\/sajpsychiatry.v23i1.1006"},{"key":"ref0016","author":"Johnston","year":"2015","journal-title":"Monitoring the future. 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