Khat use in people living with HIV: a facility-based cross-sectional survey from South West Ethiopia

BMC Psychiatry

Charlotte Hanlon²  Garumma Tolu Feyissa¹  Markos Tesfaye³  Matiwos Soboka³ 

[1] Department of Health Education and Behavioral Science, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethopia;Health Services and Population Research Department, Centre for Global Mental Health, King’s College London, London, UK;Department of Psychiatry, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethopia

关键词: Sub-Saharan Africa;    Substance use disorder;    ‘ART adherence’;    Ethiopia;    Mental distress;    HIV;    Khat use;   

Others  :  1171035
DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-015-0446-5

 received in 2014-10-11, accepted in 2015-03-18,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

Khat is an evergreen plant with leaves containing the amphetamine-like compounds cathinone and cathine. Many people in the Horn of Africa use khat on a regular basis. Adverse health and social consequences of khat use have been described but little is known about the use of khat in people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of khat use and factors associated with khat use among PLHIV who are in contact with HIV services in a hospital in south-west Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 389 PLHIV who attended HIV services at Jimma University Specialized Hospital in September 2012. A structured questionnaire, translated into the local languages, was used to ask about the frequency of khat use and potential risk factors and consequences of khat use in this patient group. Logistic regression analysis was used for bivariate and multivariable analysis.

Results

The overall prevalence of current khat use among people living with HIV was 23.0%. The prevalence was 18.3% in females and 33.6% in males. Christians were less likely to use khat when compared to Muslims (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 0.26, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.55). There was a positive association between khat use and mental distress (aOR 1.84, 95% CI = 1.01, 3.36), smoking cigarettes (aOR 21.21, 95% CI = 7.19, 62.51), alcohol use disorders (aOR 2.16, 95% CI = 1.10, 4.21), CD4 count ≤200 cells/mm³ (aOR 3.46, 95% CI = 1.60, 7.50) and missing at least one dose of antiretroviral medication in the preceding month (ART) (aOR 4.2, 95% CI = 1.80, 5.75).

Conclusion

In this study there was a high prevalence of khat use among people living with HIV which was associated with poorer adherence to ART. There is a need to adapt and evaluate feasible and acceptable interventions to reduce khat use in people living with HIV.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Soboka et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

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