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Problematic khat use as a possible risk factor for harmful use of other psychoactive substances: a mixed method study in Ethiopia

Overview of attention for article published in Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, November 2017
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Title
Problematic khat use as a possible risk factor for harmful use of other psychoactive substances: a mixed method study in Ethiopia
Published in
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, November 2017
DOI 10.1186/s13011-017-0132-3
Pubmed ID
Authors

Awoke Mihretu, Solomon Teferra, Abebaw Fekadu

Abstract

Substance use disorders along with neuropsychiatric disorders contributed about 14% of the global burden of disease. Harmful alcohol use, is a known contributor for many harms (accidents, suicide, violence, and complication of other psychiatric and medical disorders). In the Western countries, alcohol and nicotine are gateway drugs to cannabis use, and cannabis use is a risk factor for other illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Khat use is another psychoactive substance which is common in East African and Arabian Peninsula. But there is a knowledge gap regarding the position of khat use or problematic khat use in sequential progression of different psychoactive substances. Therefore, we aimed to understand and investigate the relationship of problematic khat use and other psychoactive substances in Ethiopia. Exploratory mixed methods study was employed. Quantitative cross sectional survey was done among 102 khat users, and 4 focus group discussions and 11 in-depth interviews were conducted to understand the pathways between khat use and other psychoactive substances use in 2014. Non random sampling (purposive and snowballing) was employed for both quantitative and qualitative studies. Khat users from khat cafeterias, shops, and from other open markets of khat in Addis Ababa were invited to participate. Currently significant majorities of khat users (86.3%) used at least one other psychoactive substance after they started khat use. The prevalence of harmful drinking was 53.9% among khat users. Problematic khat use was a significant predictor of harmful drinking (p < 0.05). About one from ten respondents engaged to risky sexual behavior pushed by the effect of khat after chewing. The proportion of psychoactive substances use especially harmful drinking among khat users was observed higher compared to other cross sectional surveys conducted among general population. In Ethiopia, intervention and policy on harmful alcohol use could consider problematic khat use as one possible risky factor. A rigorous methodology which could test gateway hypothesis of problematic psychoactive substances use could be warranted.

Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 152 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 152 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 18 12%
Lecturer 12 8%
Student > Ph. D. Student 12 8%
Researcher 10 7%
Student > Bachelor 7 5%
Other 24 16%
Unknown 69 45%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Nursing and Health Professions 23 15%
Medicine and Dentistry 14 9%
Psychology 12 8%
Social Sciences 11 7%
Neuroscience 3 2%
Other 15 10%
Unknown 74 49%