Factors associated with Khat Chewing and Its consequences among Youth in Jimma Town

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.