title: Khat chewing among Ethiopian University Students--a growing concern.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Khat has amphetamine like effect. Students chew khat to stay alert. It has various negative physical, mental, social and cognitive effects. Poor academic performance has been associated with khat. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and identify factors associated with khat chewing among Ethiopian University students.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study was conducted on Bahir Dar University Students. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 3268 students. Proportion was calculated to estimate prevalence of khat chewing. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with khat chewing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lifetime prevalence of khat chewing was 24% (95% Confidence Interval: 22.5%, 26.6%). Half of these are current khat users with a prevalence of 12.7% (95% Confidence Interval: 11.5%, 13.9%). Male students Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 3.3 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.8, 6.0), students living in off campus housing AOR = 3.0 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.5, 6.0), students who have khat user friends AOR = 4.2 (95% Confidence Interval: 2.6, 6.9), and students who perceive khat use improves academic performance AOR = 6.6 (95% Confidence Interval: 4.6, 9.5) are more likely to use khat.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of current use of khat reported in this study is higher than recent study done on university students in Ethiopia and heavily influenced with peer practice.
authors.affiliation: Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. gewenat@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ewenat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gebrehanna
authors.forename: Yemane
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Berhane
authors.forename: Alemayehu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Worku
mesh_terms: D029754:Catha; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D010379:Peer Group; D015995:Prevalence; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities