Program

Physician Assistant M.S.

Year Approved

2017

First Advisor

Boeve, Wallace

Abstract

Caffeine is consumed daily by eighty percent of the world’s population, making it the most widely used stimulant drug. Caffeine has various benefits, side effects, and withdrawal symptoms associated with its use, but there is a lack of research that studies how much caffeine users know about these effects. This research study assessed the use of caffeine for academic and professional purposes and the knowledge about the benefits, side effects, and withdrawal symptoms of caffeine among pre-PA students, PA students, and practicing PAs in Minnesota. To do so, a paper copy of a survey was given to pre-PA students and didactic year PA students Bethel University. An online copy was sent to clinical year PA students and practicing PAs from Bethel University. An online copy of the survey was also sent to pre-PA students, current PA students, and practicing PAs who had recently graduated from St. Catherine University and Augsburg College. Various demographic statistics were gathered. The statistics did show that practicing PAs used caffeine for academic purposes significantly less than the three other groups. PA students in their clinical year use caffeine significantly more for professional purposes than both pre-PA students and PA students in their didactic year. Additionally, practicing PAs used significantly more caffeine, generally, than PA students in their didactic year. As far as caffeine knowledge, data collected revealed that PA students in their clinical year had significantly more “very good” knowledge on the benefits of caffeine than the three other groups. Results were limited due to sample size.

Degree Name

Masters of Science in Physician Assistant

Document Type

Masterʼs thesis

Included in

Primary Care Commons

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