Level of khat dependence, use patterns, and psychosocial correlates in Yemen: a cross-sectional investigation

Chronic khat use is associated with negative health consequences. However, no study has fully characterized individuals who are khat dependent. This paper examines socio-demographic and psychosocial correlates of adult khat dependence. A total of 270 khat users [129 women] in Yemen completed face-to-face interviews and provided demographic information and data on patterns of khat use, subjective mood, and sleep quality. The Severity of Dependence Scale-Khat [SDS-khat] was used to assess level of khat dependence. A series of analysis of variance was conducted. Khat users, on average, used khat for 5.2 hours a day [SD = 2.3] for 5.7 days a week [SD = 2.0]. Individuals who screened positive for khat dependence reported longer duration of khat sessions per day, higher frequency of khat use per week, greater levels of negative mood and sleep disturbances, and were more likely to endorse physical symptoms after khat use [P < 0.05]. Future research should elucidate mechanisms responsible for khat dependence symptomatology

Khat use and related addiction, mental health and physical disorders: the need to address a growing risk

Khat use is a drug problem characteristic of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, which is a widespread culturally accepted practice in some countries and is becoming more prevalent in others. Although limited use may not be accompanied by serious consequences, prolonged exposure could lead to dependence, psychosis and other psychiatric disorders and physical conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular complications, sexual dysfunction, hepatoxicity and reduced birth weight of infants born to khat-chewing mothers. The widespread use and its burden on health and economy has raised concerns in the Region, although the extent of the problem is not well assessed. Additionally, most countries do not have a clear policy and plan with regard to khat use, and therefore there is hardly any structured prevention and treatment plan in place to respond to the problem. This review presents a picture of the extent of the problem, elaborates on related existing research initiatives and international treaties, policies and health service provisions, and outlines best policy and programme interventions in khat-use countries

Psychometric examination of an Arabic version of the state-trait anger expression inventory

Objectives: this study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic version of the trait anger and anger expression scales of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory [STAXI]

Methods: this study took place between April 2005 and August 2014. Adults in Yemen [n = 334] and Tunisia [n = 200] were recruited from university campuses and a smoking cessation clinic, respectively. The STAXI was translated into Arabic using backtranslation methods. An explanatory principal component analysis was conducted to explore the factor structure of the anger expression scale, utilising parallel analyses to determine the number of retained factors

Results: good internal consistency of the trait anger scale was observed among the Yemeni [Cronbach's alpha = 0.76] and Tunisian [Cronbach's alpha = 0.86] samples. The parallel analysis suggested a three-factor solution for the anger expression scale [anger in, anger out and anger control], in accordance with the original STAXI. The internal consistency of anger in, anger out and anger control factors ranged between 0.51-0.79 in the Yemeni sample and 0.66-0.81 in the Tunisian sample. Overall, items loaded on the anger control factor included all items proposed by the original authors and this factor had higher reliability than the other two factors in both samples

Conclusion: the results of the current study provide initial support for the use of the trait anger and anger expression scales of the STAXI in Arabic-speaking countries