Review of Melatonin and Results of Students Survey

Abstract

Purpose
The objective of the survey is to evaluate the knowledge and opinion of Howard University College of Pharmacy first-year pro-fessional pharmacy students regarding the use of the sleep medication melatonin.
Methods
A survey questionnaire comprising 20 questions on melatonin was developed and response obtained from 42 students. Demo-graphic data and responses were gathered and evaluated. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the responses.
Results
Most of the respondents had adequate knowledge about melatonin ranging from 54.8 to 92.6%. There was no statistical differ-ence when responses were analyzed based on the gender of the survey participants. To specific questions whether melatonin is associated with weight gain, can help with signs and symptoms of cancer, recommend sleep hygiene instead of melatonin, and whether melatonin is addictive, the majority (57.1%, 42.9%, 64.3% and 69.0%, respectively) provided the wrong responses.
Conclusion
More than half of the respondents had good levels of knowledge and opinion about melatonin, with the highest being 92.6% to a specific question on the use of melatonin. The students were only deficient in areas of melatonin being associated with weight gain, melatonin helping with signs and symptoms of cancer, recommending sleep hygiene, and melatonin causing addiction. There are significant differences between the age groups and whether those who worth healthcare area, or not in their response to some of the survey questions.