Frequency of Non-Medical Use of Methylphenidate (Ritalin) Among Medical Students of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

Background: Despite the therapeutic effects of methylphenidate, there are many reports of non-medical use, especially among students. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of non-medical use of methylphenidate among students of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. Patients and Methods: In this descriptive-analytic (cross-sectional) study, 561 students were selected through the convenient sampling method from Zahedan University of Medical Sciences during the 2015 - 2016 academic year. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect information. Data were analyzed using descriptivestatistics, chi-square (2) with a significance levelof 0.05 by SPSS software version 21. Results: Of 561 students studied in this research, 108 persons (19.3%) had a positive experience of non-medical use of methylphenidate, of which Occasional use was reported by 38 (6.8%) students and 3 (0.5%) students reported daily use. The highest rate of methylphenidate use was observed in medical assistants with a frequency of 37 persons (35.6%) and persons with more than 30 years old with a frequency of 32.5%. The frequency of non-medical use of methylphenidate in females is almost 2 times more than males (26.8% versus 14.1%), in students who live in their own homes (27.9%) was more, and the commonest cause of use was improving academic performance (13.9%). Conclusions: According to the high frequency of non-medical use of methylphenidate in students, the probability of methylphenidate consumption may increase in the future. With regard to possible complications, including dependence and abuse, there is a serious need for intervention to reduce the non-medical use of methylphenidate and the identification and treatment of side effects.