Substance Abuse Among University Students in Iran and Associated Factors: A Comprehensive Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71164/socialmedicine.v19i3.2026.2203Keywords:
Substance use, Hookah smoking, Cigarette smoking, Alcohol consumptionAbstract
Substance abuse represents a critical public health concern among university cohorts, posing severe risks to academic success and long-term psychosocial well-being. This review aims to systematically identify prevalent substance use behaviors and characterize the underlying risk factors unique to university students in Iran. Utilizing a structured review framework, this study synthesizes data from cross-sectional literatures published between 2014 and 2025. Electronic databases—including ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, IranMedex, and SID—were searched using combinations of the following keywords: "risky behavior," "high-risk behavior," "substance use," "substance abuse," "smoking," "alcohol abuse," and "drug abuse," each crossed with the terms "university students" and "Iran." From an initial pool of 18212 articles, only 26 studies met the inclusion criteria.The most prevalent substance abuse behaviors among university students were found to be hookah and cigarette smoking, along with alcohol consumption. Substance use was significantly associated with sociodemographic variables such as male gender and older age, as well as behavioral risk factors such as attending social gatherings, and initiating substance use prior to 18 years of age. Parental support was found to be a significant protective factor against substance abuse.Hookah and cigarette smoking, along with alcohol consumption, were more commonly observed among male university students in Iran, although an increasing trend is observed among females consistent with the narrowing gender gap reported worldwide. Policymakers must implement strategies to safeguard the health of university students. The findings of this study can help health systems and government officials recognize potential health risks and implement interventions to promote the well-being of young people.
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