142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

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Study drugs and academic integrity: Beliefs about an academic honor code predict nonmedical prescription drug use for academic reasons

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Patricia Rutledge, Ph.D. , Department of Psychology, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Kelsy Reisinger, B.S. , Office of Admissions, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Sarah Conklin, Ph.D. , Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Global Health Studies Program, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
College health professionals and administrators are concerned about students’ non-medical prescription drug (NMPD) use for academic purposes, particularly when these drugs, sometimes called “study drugs,” are used illegally without a prescription. We examined the use of NMPDs in academic situations and the role of beliefs about academic integrity in such use. An anonymous online survey of students was conducted at a private liberal arts college which has an academic honor code. Students reported their NMPD use during three academic activities and indicated the extent to which they believed that use during these activities should constitute a violation of the honor code. Of the full student body recruited, 35% (697/1982) responded; 52 were excluded because they had prescriptions for the drugs. Of the N=645 participants, 19.1% reported academic NMPD use, with 16.1% reporting use when completing an assignment, 15.5% when studying for an examination, and 8.4% during an examination. Logistic regression analysis indicated that academic use of NMPDs was more likely (OR=1.37, p=.000) among those with stronger beliefs  that such use should not be a violation of the honor code than among those with stronger beliefs that use should be a violation. Also, men, members of fraternities and sororities, and those who knew other students who used NMPDs academically were more likely to report academic NMPD use. The findings point to the potential value of defining academic NMPD use as an issue of academic integrity and seeking to reduce use through academic policies such as those found in academic honor codes.

Learning Areas:

Ethics, professional and legal requirements
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe patterns of nonmedical prescription drug use in academic situations among college students. Explain how students’ beliefs about academic integrity impact their nonmedical use of prescription drugs in academic situations. Identify the potential role of an academic honor code in the prevention of the nonmedical use of prescription drugs in academic situations.

Keyword(s): College Students, Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an experimental psychologist who has completed a post-doctoral appointment in the area of alcohol and other drug use and abuse among college students and who currently is working with a team of alcohol epidemiologists at a major school of public health. I have published a number of papers on alcohol use and other health-related behaviors in college students.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.