INTENTION TO STOP KHAT CHEWING AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG KHAT CHEWERS IN GONDAR CITY, NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA, 2019 BY USING TRANS THEORETICAL MODEL.

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Khat chewing practice is rapidly increasing worldwide and currently estimated that over 10 million people consume khat. According to WHO khat use is associated with multiple acute and chronic medical and psychosocial illnesses. As perceived health effects of khat chewing, intention to stop it should be in a certain level of consideration in khat chewing population. TTM is a promising model to assess health behavior change. Objective: To assess intention to stop khat chewing and associated factors among khat chewers in Gondar city, Northwest Ethiopia, 2019 using Transtheoretical Model. Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted from March 15 to April 14, 2019 in Gondar city Ethiopia. Six hundred five khat chewers were selected from six kebeles using cluster sampling method. Structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data were coded, entered and cleaned in to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Bivariable analysis was done and variables with p-value<0.2 entered into the final multiple binary logistic regression using Enter method. Association between the independent variables and the outcome variable was assessed using AOR and 95% CI, p-value <0.05 as cut off point for statistical significance. Result: Out of the total participants, 69.3 % (contemplation +preparation) (95% CI: 65.872.9) had intention to stop khat chewing within the next six months or before.

Majority of

the

study participants 55.4% were on contemplation stage, 13.9% were on preparation stage and the rest 30.7% were on pre contemplation stage. Individuals who had high self reevaluation process of change were 2.8 times more likely to have the intention to quit Khat chewing than individuals with low self reevaluation process of change score [AOR=2.8, (95%CI:1.6-5.0)] and Participants in high environmental reevaluation process of change were 1.9 times more likely to have intention to stop Khat chewing than their counterparts, [AOR=1.9, (95%CI:1.1-3.3)]. Conclusion and Recommendations: Majority of the Khat chewers had intention to stop Khat chewing. Thus, stage based interventions should be done for further motivation of Khat chewers to stop khat chewing. Key Words: Intention to stop khat Trans theoretical model Gondar city