PREVALENCE, PATTERNS OF USE, AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG CONSUMPTION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF MATO GROSSO

Abstract

The mental health of medical students has been significantly impacted by factors such as academic overload, stress, and emotional demands, contributing to the use of psychotropic drugs as a coping strategy. This is a cross-sectional, quantitative study conducted with 96 medical students from the State University of Mato Grosso, between October 2025 and January 2026, using a structured electronic questionnaire. Sociodemographic, clinical, academic, and behavioral variables were analyzed, and Poisson regression was applied to identify associated factors. The  prevalence of current psychotropic drug use was 51.0%. A significant association was observed with age between 22 and 30 years, previous diagnosis of mental disorders, and psychological follow-up. Antidepressants predominated, with daily use and medical prescription, and the main reported reasons were anxiety and depression. The

findings indicate a higher prevalence than reported in the literature, suggesting greater emotional vulnerability influenced by academic and clinical factors. There is a high prevalence of psychotropic drug use, highlighting the need for institutional strategies to promote mental health and rational use of these medications.