BACKGROUND The chewing of Khat leaves, a natural psychoactive substance is widely chewed in countries of East Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula, and is reported to be associated with a range of unfavorable health outcomes including khat dependence. The impact of Khat chewing on Health Related Quality of Life is yet to be explored. AIMS to measure and compare the quality of life of the...

AIMS To estimate the salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels in tobacco chewers, tobacco smokers and normal subjects and to compare the salivary IgA levels among tobacco chewers and tobacco smokers. METHODS The study group consisted of 80 subjects (tobacco users), 40 tobacco chewers and 40 tobacco smokers. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from all tobacco users and 40 healthy age- and g...

BACKGROUND Despite the global significance of betel quid chewing and the associated health risks, there have been no studies assessing chewers' intention to quit. Given the difficulties associated with quitting betel quid and the serious health consequences of chewing, it is important for researchers to develop interventions aimed at helping chewers quit. Betel quid chewers experience similar p...

The World Health Organization regards betel quid as a human carcinogen, and DSM-IV and ICD-10 dependence symptoms may develop with heavy use. This study, conducted in central Taiwan, investigated whether betel quid chewers can exhibit overt orienting to selectively respond to the betel quid cues. Twenty-four male chewers' and 23 male nonchewers' eye movements to betel-quid-related pictures and ...

Background—The khat plant is a stimulant similar to amphetamine and is thought to induce coronary artery spasm. Khat is widely chewed by individuals originating from the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcome of khat chewers presenting with acute coronary syndrome. Methods and Results—From October 1, 2008, through...

BACKGROUND The khat plant is a stimulant similar to amphetamine and is thought to induce coronary artery spasm. Khat is widely chewed by individuals originating from the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcome of khat chewers presenting with acute coronary syndrome. METHODS AND RESULTS From October 1, 2008, throu...

BACKGROUND A relationship between betel quid chewing in Bangladeshi populations and the development of skin lesions and tremor has been previously reported, for people exposed to high levels of arsenic (As) through drinking contaminated groundwater. Exposure to manganese (Mn) is also known to induce neurotoxicity and levels of Mn in Bangladeshi groundwater are also high. The present study evalu...

Areca nut (betel nut) is chewed by an estimated 10% of the world's population which is equivalent to about 600 million people. It is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has been linked to various types of oral cancer. Chewing areca predominates in South and South East Asia, East Africa, and the Western Pacific and has important social and cultural impli...

BACKGROUND Khat chewing is highly prevalent in Africa, Yemen and Jazan region, southwest of Saudi Arabia. Most of Jazani Khat chewers consider khat session as a social activity and do not consider khat dependency. The aim of this study was to explore khat dependency and its relationship with the psychophysical symptoms among chewers. METHODS Cross-sectional study on seventy Saudi male khat ch...