The prevalence of substance abuse among psychiatric patients at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya

Abstract

Substance abuse refers to the overindulgence in and dependence of a drug or other chemical leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual’s physical and mental health or the welfare of the others. The study was to establish the prevalence of substance abuse among psychiatry patients and the common co-morbid psychiatric disorders at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret. This was a descriptive cross- sectional study involving in-patients (30) and out -patients (45) who consented to participating in the study using the WHO model core questionnaire to collect information on use of various drugs among psychiatry patients. Most of the respondents who reported abusing any form of substance had begun before the age of 19 years. The most commonly abused substance was alcohol at 56% with more males (thirty one-41.7%) than females (Eleven- 14.7%).Others included cigarette 19(25.3%) and cannabis (locally known as bhang) among others. Substance abuse was significantly associated with the diagnosis of schizophrenia (20%) and bipolar mood disorders (13.3%). The prevalence of substance use was high in the study population compared to studies done in similar setting. However, the male gender was associated with a higher prevalence of substance abuse for all the substances reported in the study.