Intention to Khat Chewing Among Youths in Raya Azebo District , Southern Tigray, Ethiopia.
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Date
2019-10
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Background: Recently, Khat chewing has become a common practice worldwide. It causes and
predisposes a significant physical and mental health, and social-economic crisis. However,
behavioral intention to khat chewing is not well studied yet in Ethiopia.
Objectives: To assess intention to khat chewing among youths in Raya-Azebo district, Southern
Tigray, Ethiopia, 2019.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional quantitative study among randomly selected 627
youths in Raya Azebo district, Northern Ethiopia was conducted in 2019. Data were collected
using a pre-tested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Epi Data version 4.4.2 was
used for data entry then exported to SPSS version 25 for data analysis. A multivariable linear
regression model was used to predict the contribution of independent variables and identify
variables strongly associated with intention to khat chewing among youths. The goodness of fit
model was checked and P-value ≤ 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance.
Results: The response rate of the study was 97.82%. A considerable proportion, 192 (30.62%) of
youths had an intention to chew khat in the next 6 months. The direct components of theory of
planned behavior (TPB) were predicted by their respective indirect components. The component
of TPB independently explained the variance in intention to khat chewing by 83.0%. TPB
constructs and Socio-demographic, Knowledge, and past behavioral experience variables
explained the variance in intention to khat chewing by 83.20%. The strongest predictors of
intention to khat chewing were attitude (β= 0.350, P<0.001), subjective norm (β= 0.297, P<0.001),
and perceived behavioural control (PBC) (β= 0.150, P= 0.01).
Conclusions: Behavioral intention to khat chewing was a function of attitude, subjective norm
and perceived behavioral control towards khat chewing. The behavioral intention was primarily
under attitudinal influences. Conducting prospective study and construct validity of the tool is
better. Strategies to empower youths to change a positive attitude of khat chewing, programs
targeted on resisting social pressures and increasing self-efficacy to combat chewing are needed.
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Keywords
Khat; Khat chewing; Youths; Intention; TPB; Raya Azebo district; Ethiopia;