Abstract
Purpose
Khat use has been suggested to be associated with psychosis, but its prevalence and associations among mental health service
users have not been described in either traditional use countries or countries with immigrant populations from traditional
use countries. We aimed to investigate the clinical and demographic associations of khat use in a sample of Somali users of
mental health service users in South London.
users have not been described in either traditional use countries or countries with immigrant populations from traditional
use countries. We aimed to investigate the clinical and demographic associations of khat use in a sample of Somali users of
mental health service users in South London.
Methods
We used an electronic case register of 150,000 mental health patients to investigate the associations of khat use among all
240 Somali patients in the database. We used logistic regression to generate adjusted estimates for a range of exposure variables
and used multiple imputation as a principled approach to missing data.
240 Somali patients in the database. We used logistic regression to generate adjusted estimates for a range of exposure variables
and used multiple imputation as a principled approach to missing data.
Results
Khat use or non-use was recorded for 172 patients (72% of the total), of whom 80 (47%) were current users. Khat use was very
strongly associated with ICD-10 primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, psychosis or drug and alcohol disorder (compared to ICD-10
F43 stress-related disorders and other non-psychotic disorders), male gender, harmful or dependent use of alcohol, and detention
under the Mental Health Act.
strongly associated with ICD-10 primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, psychosis or drug and alcohol disorder (compared to ICD-10
F43 stress-related disorders and other non-psychotic disorders), male gender, harmful or dependent use of alcohol, and detention
under the Mental Health Act.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-8
- DOI 10.1007/s00127-011-0471-8
- Authors
- Alex D. Tulloch, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Elizabeth Frayn, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Thomas K. J. Craig, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Timothy R. J. Nicholson, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF UK
- Journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Online ISSN 1433-9285
- Print ISSN 0933-7954