Understanding the relationship between safety beliefs and knowledge for cognitive enhancers in UK university students.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cognitive enhancers (CE) are prescription drugs taken, either without a prescription or at a dose exceeding that which is prescribed, to improve cognitive functions such as concentration, vigilance or memory. Previous research suggests that users believe the drugs to be safer than non-users and that they have sufficient knowledge to judge safety. However, to date no research has compared the information sources used and safety knowledge of users and non-users.

Objectives

This study compared users and non-users of CE in terms of i) their sources of knowledge about the safety of CE and ii) the accuracy of their knowledge of possible adverse effects of a typical cognitive enhancer (modafinil); and iii) how the accuracy of knowledge relates to their safety beliefs.

SUBMITTER: Nguyen NT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7842904 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature