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Prevalence and Factors Associated with Regular Khat Chewing Among College Students in Harar City, Eastern Ethiopia

Received: 9 June 2023     Accepted: 3 July 2023     Published: 11 July 2023
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Abstract

Khat/Chat (Catha edulis) is a green shrub that is a natural stimulant native, planted and chewed in mainly within eastern and southern parts of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Chewing khat/chat is a common practice and getting greater concern in university and college students because they think chewing chat helps in increasing their academic performance especially during examination and recreation. It is widely understood that khat chewing creates a serious problem for today’s youth which negatively affects not only individual users; but also families, the community as a whole, economy and political arena of a given nation. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with regular khat chewing among college students in Harar city. Cross sectional study was conducted in Harari city from mar 13 up to 29, 2023, within selected colleges. A total sample of 371 students were included in the study. Data was collected through structured questioner and after checking for clarity data were entered to SPSS version 22 and multiple logistic regression analysis were used for better prediction of determinants and to reduce bias due to co founders. Result: The Prevalence of khat chewing on this study was 213 (57.4%). In multivariate analysis marital status, religion, Living area (Residence), Peers who chew khat, peers who smoke cigarette, students whose lives in rented house, Smoke cigarette while chewing chat, currently drink alcohol were associated with outcome variables. Majority of students were khat chewers for a long period of time and there were also started chewing before their joining the colleges. peer pressure, living condition and alcohol usage were significant predictors of khat chewing.

Published in International Journal of Psychological Science (Volume 3, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.11
Page(s) 1-5
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Khat (Chat), College Students, Khat Chewing, Effects of Khat Chewing

References
[1] Patel NB. "Natural amphetamine" khat: A cultural tradition or a drug of abuse? Int Rev Neurobiol. 2015; 120: 235-255. 26070760.
[2] WEIR S., 1985 Qat in Yemen: Consumption and Social Change. London: British Museum Press.
[3] WAGNER M., 2005 «The Debate between Coffee and Qat in Yemeni Literature», Middle Eastern Literatures 8, pp. 121-149.
[4] ANDERSON D. M., BECKERLEG S., HAILU D., KLEIN A., 2007 The Khat Controversy: Stimulating the Drugs Debate. Oxford: Berg.
[5] Damena T, Mossie A, Tesfaye M (2011) Khat chewing and mental distress: A community based study, in Jimma city, south western Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Sci 21 (1): 37-45.
[6] Hussain M: HealthandSoci-economic Hazard associated with Khat consumption. JFam Community Med2013, 15 (1): 3±11.
[7] Deressa W, Azazh A: Substance use and its predictors among undergraduate medical students of Addis Ababa University inEthiopia. BMCPublicHealth2011, 11 (1): 660.
[8] Al HaboriM: The potential adverse effects of habitual use of Catha Edulis (Khat). Expert Opin Drg Saf 2005, 4 (4): 1145±1154.
[9] ColzatoL, RuizM, WildenbergW, HommelB: Khat Use Is Associated with Impaired Working Memoryand Cognitive Flexibility. PloS One 2011, 6 (6): e20602 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0020602PMID: 21698275
[10] Carrier, N Gezon L. Khat in the Western Indian Ocean Regional Linkages and Disjunctures. ÉtudesocéanIndien. 2009; (11): 271–297.
[11] Gezahegn Tesfaye, AndualemDereseet al. (2014) Substance Use and Associated Factors among UniversityStudents in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of AddictionVolume 2014, Article ID 969837, 8 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/969837
[12] Tilahun Abdeta1, Daniel Tolessa et al. (2017) Prevalence, withdrawal symptoms and associated factors of khat chewing among students at Jimma University in Ethiopia BMC Psychiatry (2017) 17: 142 DOI 10.1186/s12888-017-1284-4.
[13] AkliluSinshaw, Hiwotkassa, AntenehMessele (2014) Prevalence and Associated Factors of Khat Chewing Among Atse Fasil Campus Students, University of Gondar, North West Ethiopia June 2013. J Psychol Clin Psychiatry 1 (6): 00040. DOI: 10.15406/jpcpy.2014.01.00040.
[14] Wakgari Deressa1 and AkliluAzazh (2011) Substance use and its predictors among undergraduate medical students of Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia BMC Public Health 2011, 11: 660.
[15] WorkinehGetahun, TeferiGedifet al. (2010) BMC Public Health Regular Khat (Catha edulis) chewing is associated with elevated diastolic blood pressure among adults in Butajira, Ethiopia: A comparative study, 10: 390.
[16] Reda AA, Moges A, Biadgilign S, Wondmagegn BY (2010) Prevalence and determinants of khat (cathaedulis) chewing among high school students in Eastern Ethiopia. PLoS One 7 (3): 33946.
[17] Ayalew Astatkie, Meaza Demissie et al. (2015) Prevalence of and factors associated withregular khat chewing among universitystudents in EthiopiaSubstance Abuse and Rehabilitation, 6 41–50.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Jemal Abrahim Imar. (2023). Prevalence and Factors Associated with Regular Khat Chewing Among College Students in Harar City, Eastern Ethiopia. International Journal of Psychological Science, 3(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.11

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    ACS Style

    Jemal Abrahim Imar. Prevalence and Factors Associated with Regular Khat Chewing Among College Students in Harar City, Eastern Ethiopia. Int. J. Psychol. Sci. 2023, 3(1), 1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.11

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    AMA Style

    Jemal Abrahim Imar. Prevalence and Factors Associated with Regular Khat Chewing Among College Students in Harar City, Eastern Ethiopia. Int J Psychol Sci. 2023;3(1):1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.11,
      author = {Jemal Abrahim Imar},
      title = {Prevalence and Factors Associated with Regular Khat Chewing Among College Students in Harar City, Eastern Ethiopia},
      journal = {International Journal of Psychological Science},
      volume = {3},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-5},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijps.20230301.11},
      abstract = {Khat/Chat (Catha edulis) is a green shrub that is a natural stimulant native, planted and chewed in mainly within eastern and southern parts of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Chewing khat/chat is a common practice and getting greater concern in university and college students because they think chewing chat helps in increasing their academic performance especially during examination and recreation. It is widely understood that khat chewing creates a serious problem for today’s youth which negatively affects not only individual users; but also families, the community as a whole, economy and political arena of a given nation. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with regular khat chewing among college students in Harar city. Cross sectional study was conducted in Harari city from mar 13 up to 29, 2023, within selected colleges. A total sample of 371 students were included in the study. Data was collected through structured questioner and after checking for clarity data were entered to SPSS version 22 and multiple logistic regression analysis were used for better prediction of determinants and to reduce bias due to co founders. Result: The Prevalence of khat chewing on this study was 213 (57.4%). In multivariate analysis marital status, religion, Living area (Residence), Peers who chew khat, peers who smoke cigarette, students whose lives in rented house, Smoke cigarette while chewing chat, currently drink alcohol were associated with outcome variables. Majority of students were khat chewers for a long period of time and there were also started chewing before their joining the colleges. peer pressure, living condition and alcohol usage were significant predictors of khat chewing.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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    AU  - Jemal Abrahim Imar
    Y1  - 2023/07/11
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    T2  - International Journal of Psychological Science
    JF  - International Journal of Psychological Science
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    AB  - Khat/Chat (Catha edulis) is a green shrub that is a natural stimulant native, planted and chewed in mainly within eastern and southern parts of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Chewing khat/chat is a common practice and getting greater concern in university and college students because they think chewing chat helps in increasing their academic performance especially during examination and recreation. It is widely understood that khat chewing creates a serious problem for today’s youth which negatively affects not only individual users; but also families, the community as a whole, economy and political arena of a given nation. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with regular khat chewing among college students in Harar city. Cross sectional study was conducted in Harari city from mar 13 up to 29, 2023, within selected colleges. A total sample of 371 students were included in the study. Data was collected through structured questioner and after checking for clarity data were entered to SPSS version 22 and multiple logistic regression analysis were used for better prediction of determinants and to reduce bias due to co founders. Result: The Prevalence of khat chewing on this study was 213 (57.4%). In multivariate analysis marital status, religion, Living area (Residence), Peers who chew khat, peers who smoke cigarette, students whose lives in rented house, Smoke cigarette while chewing chat, currently drink alcohol were associated with outcome variables. Majority of students were khat chewers for a long period of time and there were also started chewing before their joining the colleges. peer pressure, living condition and alcohol usage were significant predictors of khat chewing.
    VL  - 3
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Author Information
  • Department of Health Informatics, Harar Health Science College, Harar, Ethiopia

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