Intention to Drive After Drinking Among Medical Students: Contributions of the Protection Motivation Theory.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether cognitive variables proposed by the protection motivation theory (PMT) were predictive of occasional and frequent intention to drive after drinking in medical students. METHODS: One hundred fifty-five students attending preclinical years at a Medical School in São Paulo, Brazil, participated in the study. They were asked about their last month substance use, history of drinking and driving, including driving after binge drinking, and risk perceptions based on a self-report questionnaire with statements about protection motivation, threat, and coping appraisals from the PMT model. RESULTS: Fifty-two students (33%) had previous experience of driving after drinking during the last year, and 54 students (35%) reported intention to drive after drinking within the next year. Regression analysis showed that higher scores in perception of personal vulnerability to risks were associated with occasional and frequent intention to continue pursuing this particular behavior. Poorer evaluations about short-term consequences of alcohol consumption and cognitions regarding external rewards were significantly associated with reported intention to continue driving after drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the social and health impact of alcohol-impaired behaviors, our findings suggest the need of interventional efforts focused in increasing students' awareness about the negative consequences of drinking and driving aiming to enhance their motivation towards more adaptive behaviors.

Gender parity and drug use: are girls catching up with boys?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between gender and use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in adolescents aged 10 to 18 years in the municipalities of Jacareí and Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A total of 971 adolescents completed the Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI). RESULTS: In our sample, 55% of adolescents were male, 33.8% reported having made use in the previous month of alcohol, 13.5% of cigarettes, and 6.4% of illicit drugs. There was no significant difference between genders in the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs in any of the analysis (p > 0.05). The use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs was associated with the city, age, educational level, school failure, and relationship with parents (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Substance abuse among adolescents in our sample seems to follow the recent global trend towards the equalization of drug use between genders. This result should be taken into account by public health professionals in developing policies for this problem.

Gender parity and drug use: are girls catching up with boys? / A paridade de gêneros e o uso de drogas: as meninas estão alcançando os meninos?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between gender and use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in adolescents aged 10 to 18 years in the municipalities of Jacareí and Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A total of 971 adolescents completed the Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI). RESULTS: In our sample, 55 percent of adolescents were male, 33.8 percent reported having made use in the previous month of alcohol, 13.5 percent of cigarettes, and 6.4 percent of illicit drugs. There was no significant difference between genders in the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs in any of the analysis (p > 0.05). The use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs was associated with the city, age, educational level, school failure, and relationship with parents (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Substance abuse among adolescents in our sample seems to follow the recent global trend towards the equalization of drug use between genders. This result should be taken into account by public health professionals in developing policies for this problem.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar as associações entre gênero e uso de álcool, tabaco e outras drogas em adolescentes de 10 a 18 anos dos municípios de Jacareí e Diadema (São Paulo, Brasil). MÉTODOS: O Drug Use Screening Inventory (DUSI) foi respondido por 971 adolescentes. RESULTADOS: Na nossa amostra, 55 por cento eram do sexo masculino, 33,8 por cento relataram ter feito uso de bebidas alcoólicas no último mês, 13,5 por cento de cigarro e 6,4 por cento de drogas ilícitas. Não foi encontrada diferença significativa quanto ao uso de álcool, tabaco e drogas ilícitas entre os gêneros em nenhuma das análises (p > 0,05). O uso de álcool, tabaco e drogas ilícitas foi associado a cidade, idade, grau de escolaridade, repetência escolar, e relacionamento com os pais (p < 0,05). CONCLUSÕES: O consumo entre os adolescentes nesta amostra parece acompanhar recente tendência mundial quanto à equiparação do uso de drogas entre os gêneros. Este resultado deve ser levado em conta pelos profissionais de saúde pública na elaboração de políticas para o problema.