RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Stress can have deleterious effects on health and academic performance. Common stress-relieving activities among college students include the non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD). The aim of this study was to determine the associations between self-perceived academic load and stress, NMUPD (stimulants, depressants, and sleeping medication), and dietary pattern in college students in PR. METHODS: A questionnaire to evaluate academic load and stress, NMUPD, and dietary pattern was used on a representative sample of 275 first- and second-year students from one campus. RESULTS: In total, 27.6% reported NMUPD in the past 6 months, with higher use among students aged 21-30 years (93.4%) than in those aged 31-53 years (6.6%; p=0.062). Those with high levels of stress had higher NMUPD (42.1%) than did those with low (26.3%) or moderate (31.6%) stress levels, after controlling for age and sex (p=0.03). Among those who reported NMUPD over the previous 6 months, 74% reported that such use was effective as a coping strategy, and 35% reported that it helped them to improve academic performance. Although no significant association was found between NMUPD and dietary pattern, 57% of the participants reported that their appetites decreased when they engaged in NMUPD. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study that has associated self-perceived academic load and stress, NMUPD, and dietary pattern among college students in Puerto Rico. NMUPD's prevalence was 27.6%, which prevalence appeared to be higher in students aged 21-30 years than in those of any other age. High levels of stress were significantly related to high NMUPD in this sample.
Assuntos
Comportamento Alimentar , Uso Indevido de Medicamentos sob Prescrição , Automedicação/estatística & dados numéricos , Estresse Psicológico/epidemiologia , Estudantes/estatística & dados numéricos , Adaptação Psicológica , Adulto , Antidepressivos , Estimulantes do Sistema Nervoso Central , Estudos Transversais , Dieta , Uso de Medicamentos/estatística & dados numéricos , Comportamento Alimentar/psicologia , Feminino , Humanos , Hipnóticos e Sedativos , Renda/estatística & dados numéricos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Medicamentos sob Prescrição , Porto Rico/epidemiologia , Automedicação/psicologia , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Estresse Psicológico/psicologia , Estudantes/psicologia , Inquéritos e Questionários , Universidades , Adulto JovemRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Examination of cancer rates in a single Hispanic subgroup-Puerto Ricans- and comparison of incidence rates among mainland Puerto Ricans living in the United States, island Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico, and U.S. non-Hispanic whites to reveal ethnic-specific cancer patterns and disparities in Puerto Ricans. METHODS: Incidence data were obtained from the cancer registries of Puerto Rico and three U.S. northeastern states (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) with a high density of mainland Puerto Ricans. Age-adjusted rates were compared by standardized rate ratios (SRRs). RESULTS: Total cancer incidence was the lowest in island Puerto Ricans, intermediate for mainland Puerto Ricans, and highest in U.S. non-Hispanic whites. Compared to mainland Puerto Ricans, islanders had significantly lower rates (p<0.05) for major cancers-lung (SRRs=0.36 in males and 0.29 in females), prostate (SRR=0.71), female breast (SRR=0.73), and colon-rectum (SRRs=0.74 in males and 0.65 in females)-as well as several less common cancers (urinary bladder; non-Hodgkin lymphoma; liver; kidney and renal pelvis; pancreas; thyroid; leukemia; and skin melanoma). Overall cancer rates in mainland Puerto Ricans were modestly lower than those in U.S. non-Hispanic whites, but mainland Puerto Ricans had the highest rates for stomach, liver, and cervical cancers among the three populations. CONCLUSION: Despite socioeconomic disadvantages, island Puerto Ricans have relatively low cancer incidence. Identifying contributing factors would be informative for cancer research, and understanding the reasons for increased cancer risk in their mainland counterparts would facilitate the development of ethnic-specific intervention programs.
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Hispânico ou Latino , Neoplasias/epidemiologia , População Branca , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Incidência , Lactente , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Porto Rico/epidemiologia , Distribuição por Sexo , Estados Unidos/epidemiologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Examination of cancer rates in a single Hispanic subgroup-Puerto Ricans-and comparison of incidence rates among mainland Puerto Ricans living in the United States, island Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico, and U.S. non-Hispanic whites to reveal ethnic-specific cancer patterns and disparities in Puerto Ricans. METHODS: Incidence data were obtained from the cancer registries of Puerto Rico and three U.S. northeastern states (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) with a high density of mainland Puerto Ricans. Age-adjusted rates were compared by standardized rate ratios (SRRs). RESULTS: Total cancer incidence was the lowest in island Puerto Ricans, intermediate for mainland Puerto Ricans, and highest in U.S. non-Hispanic whites. Compared to mainland Puerto Ricans, islanders had significantly lower rates (p < 0.05) for major cancers-lung (SRRs = 0.36 in males and 0.29 in females), prostate (SRR = 0.71), female breast (SRR = 0.73), and colon-rectum (SRRs = 0.74 in males and 0.65 in females)-as well as several less common cancers (urinary bladder; non-Hodgkin lymphoma; liver; kidney and renal pelvis; pancreas; thyroid; leukemia; and skin melanoma). Overall cancer rates in mainland Puerto Ricans were modestly lower than those in U.S. non-Hispanic whites, but mainland Puerto Ricans had the highest rates for stomach, liver, and cervical cancers among the three populations. CONCLUSION: Despite socioeconomic disadvantages, island Puerto Ricans have relatively low cancer incidence. Identifying contributing factors would be informative for cancer research, and understanding the reasons for increased cancer risk in their mainland counterparts would facilitate the development of ethnic-specific intervention programs.
OBJETIVOS: Se analizaron las tasas de cáncer en un subgrupo de hispanos residentes en los Estados Unidos de América -los puertorriqueños (PRREUA) y se compararon sus tasas de incidencia con las de los puertorriqueños que residen en Puerto Rico (PRRPR) y la población estadounidense blanca sin ascendencia hispana (EUBNH) a fin de encontrar patrones de cáncer y disparidades de orden étnico específicos para los puertorriqueños. MÉTODOS: Se obtuvieron los datos de incidencia de los registros de cáncer de Puerto Rico y tres estados del nordeste de los Estados Unidos (New York, New Jersey y Connecticut) que tienen una elevada densidad de PRREUA. Se compararon las tasas ajustadas por la edad mediante las razones de las tasas estandarizadas (SRR). RESULTADOS: La incidencia total de cáncer fue menor en los PRRPR, intermedia en los PRREUA y mayor en los EUBNH. Los PRRPR presentaron tasas significativamente menores que los PRREUA (P < 0,05) en los principales tipos de cáncer -de pulmón (SRR = 0,36 en hombres; SRR = 0,29 en mujeres), próstata (SRR = 0,71), mama (SRR = 0,73) y colorrectal (SRR = 0,74 en hombres y SRR = 0,65 en mujeres)- así como en algunos tipos de cáncer menos frecuentes (de vejiga, hígado, riñón y pelvis renal, páncreas, tiroides, linfomas no Hodgkin, leucemia y melanoma de piel). En general, las tasas de cáncer en los PRREUA fueron ligeramente menores que las de los EUBNH, aunque de las tres poblaciones los PRREUA tuvieron las mayores tasas de cáncer de estómago, hígado y cervicouterino. CONCLUSIONES: A pesar de las desventajas socioeconómicas, los PRRPR tienen una menor incidencia relativa de cáncer. La identificación de los factores que contribuyen a ello podría ayudar en las investigaciones sobre cáncer, y comprender las razones del mayor riesgo de cáncer en los PRREUA podría facilitar el desarrollo de programas de intervención específicos para esta población.