A Longitudinal Study about Substance Abuse among Italian Nursing Students: Can We Define a Socio-demographic Profile?

Background: University time is considered to be a period of vulnerability among nursing students for substance abuse, which can create an unsafe clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the substance abuse of nursing students in the form of alcohol, drugs and tobacco use during the course of studies. In addition, another study aim was to describe a typical socio-demographic profile for substance-abusing students.Methods: A longitudinal study design based on a sample of 254 nursing students was used. Data from the same cohort of students at the baseline level (T0), at the end of the first year (T1), at the end of the second year (T2) and at the end of the third year (T3) were analysed.Results: A decrease in the number of nursing students who smoke regularly, an increase in the number of those who use drugs to lose control and of those who drink weekly were found.Conclusion: The early recognition of substance-abusing students can be fundamental to their health, academic background and safe clinical practice.