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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Research article

Seven in every ten khat chewers in Gondar City had an intention to stop khat chewing: cross-sectional study using Transtheoretical Model

Authors: Asmamaw Adugna, Telake Azale, Simegnew Handebo

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

Khat chewing practice is rapidly expanding worldwide and currently, an estimated over 10 million people chew khat daily. The transtheoretical model explains how behavior change occurs across the stages of change. So, this study aimed at assessing the intention to stop khat chewing and associated factors among khat chewers in Gondar City, northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2019 in Gondar City, northwest Ethiopia. Six hundred five khat chewers participated in the study from six randomly selected kebeles. The data were collected using structured and interviewer-administered questionnaire. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression models were fitted. Adjusted Odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-values less than 0.05 were used to declare a significant association.

Results

Of the study participants, 69.3% (95% CI: 65.8–72.9) had the intention to stop khat chewing within 6 months or before. The majority of the participants (55.4%) were at the contemplation stage. Higher self-reevaluation [AOR = 2.8, (95%CI: 1.6–5.0)], environmental reevaluation [AOR = 1.9, (95%CI: 1.1–3.3)] and social liberation [AOR = 1.8, (95% CI: 1.0–3.1)] were associated with intention to quit khat chewing. In addition, using additional substances daily, khat dependency, and early age initiation of khat chewing were associated with lower intention to quit khat chewing.

Conclusion

The majority of the khat chewers had the intention to quit khat chewing. Increased self-reevaluation, environmental reevaluation, and social liberation process of changes were associated with enhanced intention of quitting khat chewing. Thus, stage-based interventions should be done to inspire khat chewers to realize their motivation of stopping khat chewing.
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Metadata
Title
Seven in every ten khat chewers in Gondar City had an intention to stop khat chewing: cross-sectional study using Transtheoretical Model
Authors
Asmamaw Adugna
Telake Azale
Simegnew Handebo
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02984-4

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