BackgroundCocaine is increasingly used on a recreational basis by the general population with potential implications for mental health. The aim of this study was to assess how common cocaine use is, and its mental health associations, in a large sample of university students.MethodsApproximately 10 000 university students were invited to take part in an online survey, which assessed the use of cocaine (ever or past year), alcohol and drug use, mental health issues, and impulsive and compulsive tendencies. Group differences in demographic and clinical characteristics were characterized.ResultsA total of 3520 university students (57.7% female) completed the survey. Of these, 110 students (3.1%) reported using cocaine in the preceding year, and a further 163 students (4.6%) reported historical use more than a year ago. Cocaine use was associated with more years as a student, lower grade point averages, more use of other drugs, riskier sexual practices, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, treatment for psychological/emotional problems (including taking prescribed medication), and trait impulsivity. Of these associations, the link with trait impulsivity had the largest effect size.ConclusionHistory of cocaine use appears relatively common in university students; and has a number of untoward associations in terms of mental health, use of other substances, and risky sexual practices. The most marked finding (in terms of effect size) was the link between cocaine use and trait impulsivity, supporting the importance of this construct in seeking out candidate vulnerability markers for use of cocaine and other drugs. Future work should use longitudinal designs to further characterize the nature of these associations.

中文翻译：

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大学生使用可卡因：与人口统计、心理健康、危险性行为和特质冲动的关系

背景可卡因越来越多地被普通人群用于娱乐，对心理健康有潜在影响。本研究的目的是评估大量大学生样本中可卡因使用的普遍程度及其心理健康关联。过去或过去一年）、酗酒和吸毒、心理健康问题以及冲动和强迫倾向。对人口统计学和临床​​特征的群体差异进行了表征。结果共有3520名大学生（57.7%为女性）完成了调查。其中，110 名学生（3.1%）报告在前一年使用过可卡因，另有 163 名学生（4.6%）报告在一年多前使用过可卡因。可卡因的使用与学生年龄更长、平均成绩更低、更多使用其他药物、更危险的性行为、创伤后应激障碍、注意力缺陷多动障碍、心理/情绪问题治疗（包括服用处方药）、和性格冲动。在这些关联中，与特质冲动的联系影响最大。结论可卡因吸毒史在大学生中相对普遍；并且在心理健康、使用其他物质和危险的性行为方面有许多不良关联。最显着的发现（就效应大小而言）是可卡因使用与特质冲动之间的联系，支持了这种结构在寻找可卡因和其他药物使用的候选脆弱性标志物方面的重要性。