Saba Kassim Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London
Kelly Leach Research Assistant, Department of Community Health, Wright State University, Dayton, USA
Abstract
Aims: To assess aspects of tobacco use and explore factors associated with tobacco use patterns (frequency of use) among khat chewers who use tobacco only when chewing khat (“simultaneous tobacco and khat users”, STKU).
Methods: A cross-sectional study recruited 204 male khat chewers. Data collected included socio-demographic items, tobacco use (validated by carbon monoxide measures), khat chewing behaviours, and psychological (Severity of Dependence on Khat [SDS-Khat] Scale) and physical (Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV [DSM-IV]) dependence on khat. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric analyses were conducted.
Results: The mean/SD age of participants identified as STKU (21%) was 38.12 (±14.05) years. Among STKU, 43% smoked and chewed simultaneously more than two days per week, and 74% were former daily tobacco users. Khat chewing initiated tobacco smoking among 45%; 71% reported attempts to quit smoking when chewing khat. Weekly smoking for more than two days among STKU was significantly associated (p≤ .05) with increased SDS-Khat and DSM-IV levels and behavioural factors (e.g amount of khat chewed).
Conclusions: Khat chewing may promote different patterns of tobacco smoking, initiate and sustain tobacco smoking, and trigger tobacco cessation relapses among STKU. Increased weekly frequency of tobacco smoking among STKU was linked to psycho-physical and behavioural factors.
