ASSESSMENT OF ANXIETY DISORDERS AND USE OF DRUGS AMONG ACADEMICS OF MEDICINE AT A UNIVERSITY IN THE SOUTH OF MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

Abstract

In this study were evaluated the levels of anxiety and use of medicines for treating anxiety among medical students at a university in the south of Minas Gerais, and then these data were related with sociodemographic data, prescription and medical follow-up, as well as improvement of symptoms. This is a cross-sectional study in which the sample was analyzed through a questionnaire. From the total of interviewees (n = 264), 21% (n = 56) are users of drugs to treat anxiety. Among these, most were female, almost half were 21 to 25 years old, single, living alone, and have high-income. These academics opted for the medical course mainly because personal and professional achievement, and the main drug used was fluoxetine. Among the users, 39% practice self-medication despite 64.3% take drugs to treat anxiety with medical follow-up, more than half present side effects, and 87.5% experimented improvement of symptoms after the use of these medications. The use of drugs to treat anxiety among medical students is increasing and the fact that most of them perform medical follow-up directly influences the improvement of symptoms. Moreover, there are risk factors that can lead to anxiety and/or self-medication and indiscriminate use of drugs, so that preventive health measures should consider these factors to guide more effective actions.