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Prevalence of psychoactive substance use among psychiatric in-patients in Harare, Zimbabwe
Insights
Psychoactive substance use is moderately prevalent in Zimbabwean psychiatric patients. Alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis were the most commonly abused substances in this population.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Substance Abuse Research
Background:
- Substance abuse is a significant global health issue, often co-occurring with mental health disorders.
- Understanding the prevalence of substance use in psychiatric populations is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of psychoactive substance use among psychiatric inpatients in Harare, Zimbabwe.
- To identify patterns of substance abuse within this specific patient group.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1994 at the Harare Central Hospital Psychiatric Unit.
- 194 consecutively admitted patients (aged 16-55) were assessed using the modified WHO AUDIT questionnaire (translated into Shona) and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria.
Main Results:
- The point prevalence rates for psychoactive substance abuse were: alcohol 28.4%, tobacco 27.6%, and cannabis 14.3%.
- Confidence intervals (95% CI) were provided for each substance prevalence rate.
Conclusions:
- This study provides scientific evidence of a moderate prevalence and distinct patterns of substance abuse among psychiatric patients in Zimbabwe.
- The findings highlight the need for integrated mental health and substance abuse treatment strategies in the region.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of psychoactive substance use among psychiatric in-patients in Harare.
Design:
A cross sectional study that was conducted in 1994.
Setting:
Harare Central Hospital Psychiatric Unit.
Subjects:
A total of 194 consecutively admitted patients to Harare Central Hospital Psychiatric Unit, aged from 16 to 55 years with a mean (SD) age of 33.5 (11.4) years.
Main Outcome Measures:
The psychiatric diagnoses were made according to the ICD10 diagnostic criteria, while the substance abuse was evaluated by the modified WHO AUDIT core questionnaire, which was translated into the Shona language.
Results:
The point prevalence rate of psychoactive substance abuse among the psychiatric in-patients were alcohol 28.4% (95% CI = 22.1, 34.7), tobacco 27.6% (95% CI = 18.7, 36.5) and cannabis 14.3% (95% CI = 7.4, 21.2).
Conclusion:
The data have provided scientific evidence on the moderate prevalence and pattern of substance abuse among psychiatric patients in Zimbabwe.