Attitude towards and use of ecstasy in medical university interns' based on HBM

Using a self-reported questionnaire, 130 Yazd Medical University students were surveyed about their knowledge towards ecstasy and their use of ecstasy based on Health Belief Model. The age range was 18-31 years. Approximately, 23% of students had seen an ecstasy tablet, 6 (4.6%) had used ecstasy (2 female and 4 male), 4 of them lived in a dormitory and 2 were tenants. The levels of knowledge, perceived barrier and perceived benefit of students who had used ecstasy were lower than those who hadn't used ecstasy. There was a significant difference between the knowledge, perceived barrier and perceived benefit of samples and use of ecstasy (p < 0.008, p < 0.003 and p < 0.13, respectively). Approximately, 74% of the students were eager to know more about ecstasy and its effects. Finally, the students were asked to select one or more item from a list of six which they considered the best way for providing young people with accurate information, and the responses (as percentages) for each source were as follows: discussion with parents: 1.5%; television programs: 64.6%; radio programs: 1.5%; talk at university: 12.3%; friends: 12.3%; newspapers/magazine articles: 7.7%. The data revealed that the knowledge of participants about ecstasy was low (mean = 27.69 +/- 3.53 out of 48). The mean grade score of knowledge of males was more than females. A survey in Kerman (Iran) showed that the knowledge of general practitioners about ecstasy was lower than 50% and the knowledge of males was more than females.