Knowledge of Food-Drug Interactions among Medical University Students

Background: Food-drug interactions (FDIs) may alter drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, modifying the whole therapy's effectiveness. Some of them cause the attenuation of drug effects, while others inhibit the medicines' metabolism resulting, in too high concentrations of the medicine in the body. Thus, some healthcare professionals-doctors, pharmacists or dieticians-should be aware of the possibility of food-drug interactions. This study aimed to assess knowledge of food-drug interactions among students of pharmacy, medicine, stomatology, medical analysis and dietetics and students of the college of further medical education for pharmacy technicians. Methods: Students (n = 820) completed a custom-made questionnaire. The relationships between the continuous variables were analysed on the basis of Pearson's correlation coefficient. To verify the predictors of objective students' knowledge about food-drug interactions, a multiple linear regression model with analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used. The Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to compare the total scores the respondents received for questions assessing their objective knowledge of FDI. Results: Students' objective knowledge of FDIs correlated positively with their year of study and their self-evaluation of it. It was also significantly influenced by the field and mode of studies and by the fact that the issue had been discussed during the courses. Conclusions: Most students of the medical university had serious deficiencies in their knowledge of food-drug interactions. This is of particular concern for future doctors and dentists. Among the respondents, pharmacy students stood out, as their FDI knowledge was greater. The issue of food-drug interactions should be more widely taught at medical universities, which was emphasised by the respondents themselves.