Predictors of stimulants use among physicians in a Nigerian tertiary health institution in Sokoto, Northwest Nigeria

Studies suggest that prevalence rates of stimulants use and abuse among healthcare professionalss is similar to rates in the general population. Majority of the studies on stimulants use carried out in Nigeria mainly focused on students of secondary and tertiary institutions, thus, there is the need to conduct similar study among physicians in Nigeria. This study aimed to assess the pattern and predictors of the use of stimulants among physicians in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, North-west Nigeria. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among physicians of all ranks in UDUTH, Sokoto. Stratified sampling technique was used to select 107 participants and a set of semi- structured self-administered questionnaires were used to obtain data from the participants. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20. Prevalence of current stimulant use was 59% and majority (83%) of the respondents take coffee, 54.5% take kola nut, 35.1% take caffeinated energy drinks and only 2% of the respondents take cigarette. Among the 87.9% that have ever used stimulants, 41% (n=43) have stopped. Majority of them (70.97%) take stimulants only once in a day and none of them take any stimulant via parenteral route. Rank of the respondent was the strongest predictor of current stimulant use (OR= 3.741, p=0.017, 95% CI=1.270-11.021). The prevalence of stimulants use among physicians is quite high. Coffee is the most consumed stimulant and rank of the physicians is the strongest predictor of current stimulants use. There is also need to assess the effect of stimulants consumption among physicians considering the high prevalence of its consumption among them. Key words:  Predictors, stimulants, physicians, Sokoto, Nigeria.