From Beans to CGPA: How Caffeine Practice Influences Academic Performance among University Students
Abstract
Caffeine is a widely consumed natural stimulant popular among students, including those in pharmacy course. Despite this widespread use, existing research often fails to establish a direct link between caffeine intake frequency or amount and a student's Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). This study was conducted to assess practice of caffeine intake and its relationship between academic performance among diploma pharmacy students at UiTM Cawangan Pulau Pinang, Bertam Campus. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 103 students at the campus between April 22 and May 5, 2025. The questionnaire gathered data on students' characteristics and caffeine consumption practices, which were then compared with their academic performance. The collected data were analyzed with statistical methods that are both descriptive and inferential using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Descriptive statistics was performed in terms of percentages and frequencies that summarized demographic factors and caffeine intake practices. For inferential statistics, Pearson Chi-Square test was conducted to examine the relationship between academic performance (CGPA) and nine specific caffeine consumption practices. It's noteworthy to note that most respondents (n=65, 61.3%) only sometimes drink caffeine, typically 1-2 times per week. Caffeine comes primarily from coffee (n=51, 48.1%), followed by tea (n=43, 40.6%). The results indicated that napping during the day was the only practice significantly associated with better academic performance with p-value=0.02 among the nine tested. In conclusion, diploma pharmacy students at UiTM Bertam appear to use caffeine responsibly as a coping mechanism for their demanding academic schedule.
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References
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