Substance use, eating behaviors, and social impairment of medical students

Self-report instruments assessing substance use, eating behaviors, social adjustment, and depression were distributed to all 329 first- and second-year medical students at a private northeastern university. Two-hundred students (61 percent) completed the questionnaires. Thirty-five students (17.5 percent) were found to be at risk for substance (alcohol and psychoactive drugs) abuse, of whom 13 were found to be at high risk. Thirty-three students (16.5 percent) were found to be at risk for an eating disorder, of whom only one was at high risk. Risk for eating disorders was greater for the female students, but risk for substance abuse was not related to gender. Psychosocial impairment and depression were associated with risk for either eating disorders or substance abuse.