Catha edulis (khat) use and demographic correlates of schizophrenia: Case-control study

Abstract

Use of Catha edulis is common among people living with schizophrenia. However, as is the case for most developing countries, the association of Catha edulis use and demographic variables to schizophrenia are not fully understood in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to determine Catha edulis use and demographic correlates of schizophrenia. Retrospective case-control study was conducted on 37 schizophrenia patients and 103 non schizophrenia patients. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using structured and pretested questionnaire. Associations between variable were determined using Mantel-Haenszel and Fisher's exact test. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated to see the strength of association at 0.05 levels of significance. Findings of the present study show that age 18 to 30 years old (OR = 2.6; p = 0.020), being single (OR = 4.25; p = 0.001), unemployment (OR = 3.82; p = 0.001) and Catha edulis usage (OR = 3.89; p = 0.001) were significantly correlated to schizophrenia.