title: Khat Dependency and Psychophysical Symptoms among Chewers in Jazan Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Khat chewing is highly prevalent in Africa, Yemen and Jazan region, southwest of Saudi Arabia. Most of Jazani Khat chewers consider khat session as a social activity and do not consider khat dependency. The aim of this study was to explore khat dependency and its relationship with the psychophysical symptoms among chewers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study on seventy Saudi male khat chewers living in Jazan area. Psychological dependence to khat chewing was evaluated using the Severity of Dependency Scale (SDS). The participants filled in a self-administrated assisted structured questionnaire designed to collect data about their medical history, neurological symptoms, and their chewing behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Half (52.2%) of khat chewers showed psychological dependency. Those having longer khat sessions (≥6 hours) were more liable for dependency. Physical and psychological symptoms were more prevalent among khat dependent chewers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  khat has a psychological dependence effect that can be measured by the SDS, even in low doses and with irregular use. SDS scale is a useful tool to expect the burden of either physical or psychological symptoms on khat chewers.
authors.affiliation: Substance Abuse Research Center (SARC), Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Maged
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4572-8439
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Setouhy
authors.affiliation: Substance Abuse Research Center (SARC), Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Rashad M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Alsanosy
authors.affiliation: Substance Abuse Research Center (SARC), Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; Psychcare Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdallah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alsharqi
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Health Department, College of Public Health University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ismail
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D029754:Catha; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors