Abstract

Introduction

Nitrous oxide recreational use and abuse has significantly increased in recent years among youth. To our knowledge, no previous study investigated the frequency and characteristics of N2O use disorder.

Objectives

To assess the frequency and the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of nitrous oxide use disorder in a sample of health professions students.

Methods

An online survey was distributed to health professions students at Paris-Cité University, Paris-Sorbonne University, Paris-Saclay University, Lille University and Picardy University, France. The following data were collected: age, gender, frequency of nitrous oxid use, DSM-5 criteria for nitrous oxide use disorder, frequency (day/week/month/year/lifetime) of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, and hallucinogens use, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores (AUDIT), the Fagerström Tobacco Dependence Test scores, the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test scores, lifetime psychiatric or sleep disorders.

Results

2067 participants (mean age 21.7±2.6 years, 75% female) completed the survey from September 2021 to May 2022. Among them, 38% (n=790) reported nitrous oxide lifetime use. Seven per cent of the subjects (n=137) fulfilled DSM-5 criteria for current nitrous oxide use disorder (114 mild use disorder, 16 moderate use disorder, 7 severe use disorder). In the group of patients with nitrous oxide use disorder, there were correlations between nitrous oxide use disorder and daily alcohol use (Chi2=24.2, p<0.0001), daily tobacco use (Chi2=25.3, p<0.0001), AUDIT scores >12 (Chi2=7.9, p<0.0001), lifetime depressive disorders (Chi2 =13.6, p=0.0001), anxiety disorders (Chi2 =13.2, p=0.02), or sleep disorders (Chi2 =14.4, p=0.006), compared to the group of subjects without nitrous oxide use or the group of subjects without nitrous oxide use disorders.

Conclusions

Nitrous oxide use and nitrous oxide use disorder were common among the health professions students included in the present study and correlated with daily alcohol or tobacco use.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Details

Title
Frequency and clinical characteristics of nitrous oxide use disorder among French health professions students
Author
Dervaux, A 1 ; Szusterman, A 2 ; Angerville, B 3 ; Blecha, L 2 ; Benyamina, A 2 ; Naassila, M 4 

 Service d’Addictologie, EPS Barthélémy Durand, Etampes 
 Service d’Addictologie, Centre Hospitalier Paul Brousse, Villejuif 
 Service d’Addictologie, EPS Barthelémy Durand, Etampes 
 Unité Inserm 1247 Groupe de Recherche sur l’Alcool et les Pharmacodépendances, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France 
Pages
S137-S137
Publication year
2023
Publication date
Mar 2023
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
ISSN
09249338
e-ISSN
17783585
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2880534858
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.