Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41069500›Full record

ReviewJournal of public health in Africa2025

Prevalence of psychoactive substance use among medical students in the EMRO region.

Nada Bennani Mechita, Anas Ahmed Mountassir, Sara Messaoud, Karim Sbai Idrissi, Hafid Hachri, Khalid Saeed, Rachid Razine, Majdouline Obtel

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of public health in Africa, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Nada Bennani MechitaLaboratory of Biostatistics, Clinical Research and Epidemiology and Laboratory of Community Health, Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9893-9312
Anas Ahmed MountassirLaboratory of Biostatistics, Clinical Research and Epidemiology and Laboratory of Community Health, Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7188-212X
Sara MessaoudLaboratory of Biostatistics, Clinical Research and Epidemiology and Laboratory of Community Health, Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6541-2372
Karim Sbai IdrissiMohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Rabat, Morocco.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9554-1306
Hafid HachriWorld Health Organization Country Office in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6825-8847
Khalid SaeedDepartment of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, Cairo, Egypt.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6183-7793
Rachid RazineLaboratory of Biostatistics, Clinical Research and Epidemiology and Laboratory of Community Health, Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1576-5204
Majdouline ObtelLaboratory of Biostatistics, Clinical Research and Epidemiology and Laboratory of Community Health, Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3357-0603

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The use of psychoactive substances is a growing global public health concern because of its high prevalence and associated risks of morbidity and mortality. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO), this issue is particularly pressing among medical students, as it can impact their academic performance, mental health and future professional behaviour. Aim: This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to determine the prevalence and patterns of psychoactive substance use among medical students in the EMRO region. Setting: Studies conducted in the EMRO region were included in the analysis. Method: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, identifying eligible studies. A random-effects model was used to estimate pooled prevalence rates, and meta-regression was performed to assess factors influencing prevalence variation. Results: Ten studies were included in the study. The pooled prevalence of alcohol consumption among medical students was 9.52% (95% confidence interval [CI]: [4.82-17.93]), which decreased to 5.92% (95% CI: [4.59-7.60]) after removing outliers ( Conclusion: Substance use among medical students in the EMRO region remains a significant concern. Contribution: This study highlights the urgent need for preventive strategies to raise awareness and promote healthier behaviours among medical students.

Indexed as

alcoholdrug abusedrug useEastern Mediterranean regionEMROmedical studentsprevalencesubstance use

Identifiers

PMID41069500
PMCPMC12505905

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.