Assessing Prevalence, Knowledge and Use of Cognitive Enhancers among University Students in the United Arab Emirates: A quantitative study

Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health Pub Date : 2024-12-01 DOI:10.1016/j.etdah.2023.100120

S. Sharif, S. Fergus, A. Guirguis, N. Smeeton, F. Schifano

{"title":"Assessing Prevalence, Knowledge and Use of Cognitive Enhancers among University Students in the United Arab Emirates: A quantitative study","authors":"S. Sharif, S. Fergus, A. Guirguis, N. Smeeton, F. Schifano","doi":"10.1016/j.etdah.2023.100120","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The use of prescription stimulants for cognitive enhancement by healthy university students, identified as the largest cohort of cognitive enhancer (CE) users, is of growing interest. The purpose of this study was to look at the understanding, perception, experience, and level of access of CEs among healthy university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study was conducted in six highly competitive university programmes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 university students to discuss their own experiences and those of their friends and peers regarding the use of prescription stimulants. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven teaching faculty staff members (Registered pharmacists and Medical doctors) to explore their views on the use of CEs in their university.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Data were analysed thematically for the identification of themes and subthemes within the data using coding. It was found that, ‘Adderall’ was the most common prescribed CE drug and caffeine supper strength pills were the most common non-prescribed CE drug, both reported to enhance concentration, motivation, and meet academic deadlines.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>It is expected that the findings of this study will be of interest to a wide range of services in UAE universities. This will enable them to raise awareness about the use of CEs among students.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72899,"journal":{"name":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100120"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667118223000715","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

The use of prescription stimulants for cognitive enhancement by healthy university students, identified as the largest cohort of cognitive enhancer (CE) users, is of growing interest. The purpose of this study was to look at the understanding, perception, experience, and level of access of CEs among healthy university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods

The study was conducted in six highly competitive university programmes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 university students to discuss their own experiences and those of their friends and peers regarding the use of prescription stimulants. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven teaching faculty staff members (Registered pharmacists and Medical doctors) to explore their views on the use of CEs in their university.

Results

Data were analysed thematically for the identification of themes and subthemes within the data using coding. It was found that, ‘Adderall’ was the most common prescribed CE drug and caffeine supper strength pills were the most common non-prescribed CE drug, both reported to enhance concentration, motivation, and meet academic deadlines.

Conclusions

It is expected that the findings of this study will be of interest to a wide range of services in UAE universities. This will enable them to raise awareness about the use of CEs among students.

查看原文本刊更多论文

评估阿拉伯联合酋长国大学生中认知增强剂的流行、知识和使用：一项定量研究

作为认知增强剂（CE）使用者的最大群体，健康大学生使用处方兴奋剂增强认知能力的研究日益引起人们的兴趣。本研究的目的是了解阿拉伯联合酋长国（UAE）健康大学生对电子商务的理解、感知、体验和获取水平。方法本研究在六个竞争激烈的大学项目中进行。对18名大学生进行了半结构化访谈，以讨论他们自己以及他们的朋友和同龄人关于使用处方兴奋剂的经历。此外，我们亦与七名教职员（注册药剂师和医生）进行了半结构化访谈，以探讨他们对其所在大学使用个人资料中心的看法。结果对数据进行了主题分析，以使用编码识别数据中的主题和子主题。研究发现，“阿得拉”是最常见的处方CE药物，而咖啡因强力药片是最常见的非处方CE药物，这两种药物都能提高注意力、积极性，并能按时完成学业。预计本研究的结果将对阿联酋大学的广泛服务感兴趣。这将使他们能够提高学生对使用电子教育的认识。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Emerging trends in drugs, addictions, and health Pharmacology, Psychiatry and Mental Health, Forensic Medicine, Drug Discovery, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics (General)

CiteScore

2.40

自引率

0.00%

发文量