Trauma, khat and common psychotic symptoms among Somali immigrants: a quantitative study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between (i) khat use and (ii) traumatic events, with measures of common psychotic symptoms and symptoms of anxiety and depression. To undertake this work in a Somali population of emigrants who have sought asylum in a non-conflict zone country.


METHODS
A secondary analysis of data on a population sample of 180 Somali men and women.


RESULTS
Frequency of khat use was not associated with common psychotic symptoms or with symptoms of anxiety and depression, nor with traumatic events in this population. Traumatic events were related to low levels of psychotic symptoms and high levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Khat use is not inevitably linked to psychotic symptoms in population samples of Somali men and women. The contrasts between these findings and those from studies in conflict zones and studies of people with mental health problems using khat suggest further investigations are necessary. These should take into account environmental and physiological interactions.
Bhui
Kamaldeep
K
Queen Mary University of London, Centre for Psychiatry, Old Anatomy Building, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M6BQ, United Kingdom. k.s.bhui@qmul.ac.uk
Warfa
Nasir
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms; D029754:Catha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018515:Plant Leaves; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D012998:Somalia / Q000208:ethnology; D040921:Stress Disorders, Traumatic / Q000209:etiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014857:Warfare; D055815:Young Adult
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs