Abstract:
The study was intended to investigate factors associated with khat chewing and its consequences
among youth in Jimma town. The total participants of the study were 155 selected from Jimma
town. Among total participants, 143 were selected for questionnaire administration and 12
participants were used for interview. The selection of study participants was by purposive
sampling techniques. The instruments of data collection were closed-ended self- administered
questionnaire and interviews. The research followed descriptive survey design, which was both
quantitative and qualitative method. The analysis of quantitative data was done using mean,
standard division and percentage and to investigate demographic factors associated with Khat
chewing chi square test was used. The result revealed that the majority of the study participants
were between ages of 25-32. 44(30.8%) of study participants were started khat chewing when
they were high school students. The study results showed that khat chewing was most commonly
practiced by \single, employed, educated. In addition, 58(40.6%) of chewer was the between 25-
32 age groups and the chi square test analysis showed that age, educational status, and marital
status of respondents was significantly associated with respondents Khat chewing frequency.
Among the participants of study, 81(56.6%) reported that they are dependent on khat. The mean
severity of dependence scale of khat (SDSK) indicates participants who sever dependent on khat
was with the Mean= (5.965) with SD= (2.015). This implies that more than averages of study
participants were severely dependent on khat. The results of the study also showed 55(38.5%)
khat chewing resulted in mild depression, 23.1% (33) experienced mild anxiety and 36(25.2%)
responded mild stress. The mean computed of depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS) of
khat chewing showed M= (11.279) depression score with SD (5.636), M= (8.951) anxiety score
with SD of 5.251 and M= (17.398) stress scores with SD of 3.719 respectively. This implies that
khat chewing resulted for mild depression, anxiety, and stress. Study results also revealed that
reason for chewing khat were peer pressure, for academic purposes and to get relaxed were
reported. Negative effect of khat chewing such as behavioral change, loss of working time while
chewing, absent from social work and neglect family needs were also reported. In addition,
chewers spent much of their productive time in chewing; this in turn makes them economically
dependent. Khat chewing was the risk of frequently absenteeism from class and poor academic
performance of the students. From this result, it was recommended that since khat chewing leads
to social, psychological, economy, and academic consequences, problem concerned
governmental and non-governmental organization should make awareness creation and
intervention to minimize the consequences.