Preventing Chronic Disease | Habitual Khat and Concurrent Khat and Tobacco Use Are Associated With Subjective Sleep Quality - CDC

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Preventing Chronic Disease | Habitual Khat and Concurrent Khat and Tobacco Use Are Associated With Subjective Sleep Quality - CDC

Habitual Khat and Concurrent Khat and Tobacco Use Are Associated With Subjective Sleep Quality

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• Abstract
• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Acknowledgments
• Author Information
• References
• Table

Motohiro Nakajima, PhD; Anisa Dokam, PhD; Abed Naji Kasim, PhD; Mohammed Alsoofi, PhD; Najat Sayem Khalil, PhD; Mustafa al’Absi, PhD

Suggested citation for this article: Nakajima M, Dokam A, Kasim AN, Alsoofi M, Khalil NS, al’Absi M. Habitual Khat and Concurrent Khat and Tobacco Use Are Associated With Subjective Sleep Quality. Prev Chronic Dis 2014;11:130234. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.130234.

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Abstract

Introduction

Khat (Catha edulis) is widely used in East Africa and the Middle East, often in combination with tobacco smoking. Sleep disturbance has been linked with habitual khat use; however, no systematic attempt has been made to test the hypothesis that use of khat and khat and tobacco in combination are related to sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbances are associated with dysregulations in emotional and physiological functions and can increase health risks.

Methods

We developed and used the Arabic version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to conduct a cross-sectional study in Yemen examining subjective sleep quality in 151 concurrent users of khat and tobacco, 141 khat-only users, and 92 nonusers. Measures on subjective mood were also collected. A series of analyses of variance and χ2 tests were conducted to test whether khat and tobacco use was linked with sleep disturbances.

Results

Concurrent users of tobacco and khat and khat-only users showed greater sleep disturbances than nonusers as assessed by the PSQI global scores (all P values < .001) and component scores. PSQI scores were correlated with negative and positive mood (all P values < .004).

Conclusion

Sleep disturbances may be 1 mechanism of the link between khat, tobacco, and negative health outcomes. Our findings may be useful in developing targeted prevention and harm-reduction strategies to minimize health care burdens associated with these substances. Our study also provides initial support for the Arabic version of PSQI.

Author Information

Corresponding Author: Mustafa al’Absi, PhD, Professor, Khat Research Program, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN 55812. Telephone: 218-726-8332. E-mail: malabsi@umn.edu.

Author Affiliations: Motohiro Nakajima, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, Minnesota; Anisa Dokam, Mohammed Alsoofi, Taiz University, Taiz, Yemen; Abed Naji Kasim, Najat Sayem Khalil, Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen.

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