Alcohol and drug use in second-year medical students at the University of Leeds

Objective In view of recent media attention concerning the high level of al cohol and drug use reported in a group of newly qualified junior doctors, t he aim of the present study was to assess the alcohol and drug habits of a group of current medical students. Methods Information about alcohol and illicit drug use was obtained from 13 6 second-year medical students (46 men, 90 women) at the University of Leed s by means of a personally administered questionnaire. Levels of anxiety an d depression were also assessed. Results 86% of the students drank alcohol and among those who drank, a high proportion (52.6% of the men and 50.6% of the women), exceeded the recomme nded weekly limit of alcohol consumption of 21 units for men and 14 units w omen per week). Illicit drug use was reported by 33.1% of students (28.3% o f men, 35.6% of women). The drug most commonly used was cannabis. According to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, 41.2% of the students (37% of men, 43.3% of women) had anxiety ratings within the clinically sign ificant range (HAD scale >8); 9.5% of students demonstrated clinically sign ificant levels of depression (HAD scale >8). However, these high levels of anxiety and depression did not correlate with high levels of alcohol consum ption or drug use.