Prevalence and Predictors of Multiple Substance Use Disorders in Kenya

Abstract

Substance use disorders (SUD) is a worldwide public health problem which has massive direct and indirect costs to the individual and society. Multiple substance use disorders, arising from multiple drug combinations, whether serial or simultaneous, pose a serious challenge for drug treatment outcomes compared to a single substance addiction because each substance produces a unique array of physical and emotional effects. This study was undertaken with an aim of determining the prevalence and predictors of multiple substance use disorders in Kenya. It adopted a cross-sectional study design where both quantitative and qualitative data were collected between November and December 2016, covering aged 15 - 65 years. The respondents were identified through stratified multi-stage random sampling. Data on substance use disorders was captured using the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM –5). According to the findings, the prevalence of past year multiple substance use disorders among respondents was 5.3%. The most commonly reported multiple substance use disorders pattern was alcohol and tobacco (2.5%) followed by tobacco and khat (0.8%); alcohol and khat (0.7%); alcohol, tobacco and khat (0.5%); and alcohol, tobacco khat and bhang (0.3%). The prevalence of past year nonmultiple substance use disorders was 10.0%. Findings showed that residing in an urban setting and being male were predictors of multiple substance use disorders. This means that management of multiple substance abuse will benefit greatly from targeted approaches that address risk factors associated with alcohol abuse among male residents of urban areas.