The chewing of the khat leaves, which contain the amphetamine-like cathinone, is a traditional habit in Somalia. Our objective was to explore the effects of khat use and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on paranoid symptoms and to test a potential causal chain. We report on a cross-sectional study in Somalia that was conducted in 2003. Trained local staff interviewed 8723 personnel of armed...

BACKGROUND Khat is an evergreen plant with leaves containing the amphetamine-like compounds cathinone and cathine. Many people in the Horn of Africa use khat on a regular basis. Adverse health and social consequences of khat use have been described but little is known about the use of khat in people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the pre...

AIM OF THE STUDY This article presents an analysis of the economic, political and socio-cultural significance of khat in Somaliland, highlighting both its positive and negative effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirteen months of anthropological fieldwork in Somaliland, two months of anthropological fieldwork among Somalis in London, four months experience from the Somalia Joint Needs Assessment...

Khat (Catha Edulis Forskal) is widely cultivated in Yemen and East of Africa. The habit of chewing tender leaves and twigs of khat is deep-rooted in Yemen. Our study investigates the chronic khat chewing and smoking effect on oral mucosa. The sample (n=79) consists of two main groups, khat chewers (n=54) and control groups (n=25). Khat chewers group is divided into 4 subgroups according to dura...

OBJECTIVES To identify patterns of khat use among Somali-Australians in Australia and to explore their views about the links between khat use and personal health. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Qualitative study using semistructured focus groups among adult members of Somali communities in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth who volunteered to attend focus groups in January and December 2...

AIM OF THE STUDY The study aims to review and analyse the varied East African discourses on the effects of khat use on libido, fertility, transmission of HIV, prostitution and rape. MATERIALS AND METHODS The data were gathered between 2004 and 2009 in Kenya and Uganda. Between 2004 and 2005 across Kenya and Uganda a broad survey approach was adopted, involving identification of and travel to ...

Recent reports suggest that 20 million people worldwide are regularly using khat as a stimulant, even though the habit of chewing khat is known to cause serious health issues. Historical evidence suggests khat use has existed since the 13th century in Ethiopia and the southwestern Arabian regions even before the cultivation and use of coffee. In the past three decades, its availability and use ...

Comprehensive assessment of harmful khat use is lacking because often researchers rely on a simple tool for studying it. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of harmful khat use among Ethiopian university students by developing a comprehensive scale based on Alcohol Use Identification Test, Severity of Dependency Syndrome scale, and International Classification o...

The effects of khat on the hormonal levels have been established; however, the effects on human beings are controversial. The aim of our study was to investigate the possible effects of khat on the levels of serum thyroid hormones, testosterone, estradiol (E2), prolactin and cortisol in men. A total of 50 blood samples were collected from healthy males who referred to chew khat for more than 10...

Khat chewing is widely practiced in Eastern Africa and the Middle East. Khat is genotoxic to cells within the oral mucosa, and several studies have suggested an association between khat use and oral lesions like hyperkeratosis and oral cancer. This study investigated the mechanism of khat-induced cytotoxicity using primary normal human oral keratinocytes (NOK) and fibroblasts (NOF). Khat induce...