Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Jun 27:12:486.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-486.

Factors associated with dental and medical care attendance in UK resident Yemeni khat chewers: a cross sectional study

Saba Kassim  1 , Ray Croucher
Affiliations

Factors associated with dental and medical care attendance in UK resident Yemeni khat chewers: a cross sectional study

Saba Kassim et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: The chewing of khat leaf with tobacco smoking amongst Yemenis, Somalis and Ethiopians is reported to impact oral and general health. The health status and particularly dental and medical care attendance of UK-khat chewers has not received attention. This study aimed to explore health status and dental and medical attendance and its associated factors in UK permanently resident Yemeni khat chewers.

Methods: A cross- sectional study with a purposively selected sample of 204 khat chewers was conducted. Data were collected through face to face interviews. Data analysis included descriptive, Chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions.

Results: The mean age for this study sample was 44.84 (SD = ±19.70) years and 35% were employed. Forty five percent reported symptomatic medical attendance for self reported health conditions in the last two weeks whilst 44% had symptomatic dental attendance. Higher khat chewing dependency levels associated positively with both symptomatic dental and medical attendance (p = 0.004, OR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.04-1.25; p = 0.003; OR = 1.16, 95%CI = 1.05-1.29, respectively). Higher social participation levels associated negatively with symptomatic dental attendance (p = 0.034, OR = 0.98, 95%CI = 0.96-0.99) whilst increase in age and self-reported health conditions associated positively with symptomatic medical attendance (p = 0.030, OR = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.01-1.06; p = 0.001, OR = 4.51, 95%CI = 2.02-10.08, respectively).

Conclusions: In this study of khat chewers, a significant proportion reported symptomatic dental and medical attendance. Demographic, psychosocial and self reported general health conditions were associated significantly with dental and medical attendance. Strategies to improve the dental and medical care attendance amongst this group should focus on these and other unexplored underlying factors.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Dental and medical care attendance for Yemeni khat chewers, drawn on Gelberg–Andersen Behavioral Model [19].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Halliday F. Arabs in exile: Yemeni migrants in urban Britain. UK: I.B.Tauris; 1992.
    1. Kalix P. Cathinone, a natural amphetamine. Pharmacol Toxicol. 1992;70(2):77–86. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0773.1992.tb00434.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kassim S, Croucher R. Khat chewing amongst UK resident male Yemeni adults: an exploratory study. Int dent J. 2006;56(2):97–101. - PubMed
    1. Yarom N, Epstein J, Levi H, Porat D, Kaufman E, Gorsky M. Oral manifestations of habitual khat chewing: a case–control study. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2010;109(6):e60–66. doi: 10.1016/j.tripleo.2010.02.022. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ali WM, Zubaid M, Al-Motarreb A, Singh R, Al-Shereiqi SZ, Shehab A, Rashed W, Al-Sagheer NQ, Saleh AH, Al Suwaidi J. Association of khat chewing with increased risk of stroke and death in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010;85(11):974–980. doi: 10.4065/mcp.2010.0398. - DOI - PMC - PubMed