Habitual Khat Chewing is linked with Neurotic Depression and Anxiety among Medical Students in Hodeida University, Yemen (during December 2023 - June 2024)

Background: Khat is a flowering plant of Cathaedulis which belongs to Celastraceous family having pharmacological amphetamine-like effects; it is widely consumed in some parts of Africa as well as Yemen, as khat fresh leaves chewing. Prevalence of khat ever chewing in Yemen reaches around 68% and of daily chewing reaches 24%. Habitual khat chewing has been reported to have adverse health effects including mental health disorders, elevated blood pressure, increased incidence of acute myocardial infarction, GIT problems. In addition, khat has socio-economic deteriorating effect. The study aimed to explore risk relation between habitual khat chewing and neurotic depression and anxiety. Methods: Analytical retrospective cohort study has been conducted during December 2023 - June 2024, on two identified cohorts of medical students at Hodeida University, Yemen. The first cohort have composed of 68 known habitual khat chewing medical student and the second have composed of 68 non khat chewing medical students. Exposure variable (Khat chewing) and some related factors (khat chewing duration, daily chewing hours, concomitant tea or coffee drinking and type of khat chewing sitting, shared or individual) all have followed retrospectively through structured, pre tested, validated questionnaire, while the outcome variables (anxiety and depression) have assessed using structured, pre tested, validated, previous mental health studies used, self-reported questionnaires including Patient health-9 scaled questionnaire (PHQ-9) for assessment of depression and Generalized anxiety disorders 7 scaled questionnaire (GAD-7) for assessment of anxiety. Data analysis: Data have statistically analyzed using SPSS program, version 27 including descriptive statistics, the χ2 test or Fisher’s exact test was used to test for comparison between categorical variables, mean, standard deviation an independent t test used for comparison between two groups of normally distributed data and Mann-Whitney U test for two groups of not normally distributed data. A two-tailed p-value less than or equal to 0.05 was considered statistically significant . Results: Proportions of study members having depression and anxiety were found as higher in khat chewing cohort members compared to non-khat chewing cohort members, both have been found at statistically significant differences (X2= 13.425, P<0.009 for depression and X2=11.181, P< 0.011 for anxiety) Conclusion: Habitual khat chewing is a risk factor for neurotic depression and anxiety and chewing khat in individual sitting has been found to be a further risk; for anxiety among khat chewing medical students of medical college at Hodeidah University in Hodeidah city, Yemen.