Factors determining the use of stimulants and sedatives by secondary school students

Introduction
The use of stimulants by school children may have a negative impact on their health and development. The aim of the study was to define the factors determining the use of stimu­lants and sedatives by secondary school students taking into account school type.

Material and methods
The study was carried out on 350 secondary school students. It used an author’s survey questionnaire that considers sociodemographic factors, alcohol abuse and the prevalence of mental disorders in the family as well as students’ smoking, sedatives and alcohol use.

Results
Students of the first-level vocational school smoked cigarettes significantly more often and used sedatives less often than those of technical schools. Sedation medication using students did not differ according to gender. Boys drank alcohol more often than girls. The percentage of those who did not drink alcohol was significantly higher among younger students than older. There were significantly more students smoking in the age group 17-20 years than in that of 14-16 years of age.

Discussion
The study confirmed significant differences in cigarette smoking and sedative medication use among schoolchildren, depending on school type. Vocational school students were more likely to report smoking cigarettes, while technical school students reported taking sedatives. The results suggest that family and school should play a key role in shaping responsible pro-health attitudes among students.

Conclusions
In secondary school students, the predictors of cigarette smoking include alcohol consumption, taking sedatives, age and school type. Alcohol consumption correlates with age and smoking. The use of sedatives is associated with a family history of mental disorder, family alcohol abuse and female gender.