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Abstract
Khat is a centuries old substance of abuse produced on a large scale in Yemen. Beta-ketoamphetamine, otherwise called cathinone, is the main contributor to the stimulant effect of khat. A recent unpublished study from Yemen found that the percentage of native users may be as large as 70%. The objective of the current study was to evaluate this figure, to study users' personal characteristics in order to find out whether there are subgroups, particularly, at risk of abuse, and to assess the immediate adverse effects of the compound as well as the main motivations for abuse. The entire population of a randomly selected district of Yemen's capital city Sana'a was used. Self-administered questionnaires were applied. Of 600 questionnaires distributed only 200 were completed and usable. One hundred fifty nine persons (80%) were users. Eighty-six percent of the males and 50% of the females were users ( p < 0.001). The majority of the users were between 15 and 30 years old. The numbers of females and males in different age classes were similarly distributed. Daily adverse effects included tiredness, gastrointestinal and cardiac complaints, and headache occurring in between 38 and 85% of the users (95% confidence interval). The main reasons for chewing khat was for accomplishing study and hard work in the males and attending social events in the females (difference between genders at p < 0.05). Our study shows that about 80% of the Yemeni people use khat on a daily basis. The proportion of male users is larger than that of females. This may be a consequence of the dominant role of the males in the Yemeni society. Both time and money are lost among users, which must affect their lifes profoundly. This is particularly serious because the majority of users are between 13 and 30 years and thus in an active age of life. Khat has a wide range of unpleasant daily side effects and enhances the risks of infectious diseases. Studying serious adverse effects was not the objective of our survey but many case reports are currently being published.
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