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Introduction. Farmers use a large number of pesticides to increase the productivity of Khat cultivation. Since Khat is consumed by many Ethiopians as a habit, there may be a significant concentration of pesticide residues in Khat leaves which result in adverse effects among the exposed population. Excess use of pesticides in Khat causes cancer, genotoxicity, and endocrine disturbances. The current study aimed to determine the concentration of selected pesticide residues on Khat leaves samples and to estimate the possible health risk on consumers. Methods. Thirty Khat samples were collected from Khat cultivators in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Pesticide residue extraction and cleanup of Khat samples were performed using the QuEChERS method. Data were also collected about personal variables and Khat consumption habits. The pesticide concentrations were determined and the health risks were estimated. Results. Profenofos, dimethoate, and chlorpyrifos were detected in 6 (20%), 24 (80%), and 28 (93.3%) Khat samples, respectively. However, diazinon was detected in two samples and endosulfan I was not detected. The average concentration of chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, profenofos, and diazinon in Khat samples was 75.39 ± 20.26, 130 ± 48.94, 242.45 ± 119.79, and 81.5 ± 21.0 μg/kg, respectively. The HQ for diazinon was greater than 1 which shows the chronic health risks associated with intake of diazinon among Khat chewers. The acute health risks associated with intake of profenofos and diazinon were minimal. Discussion. Pesticide residue exposure is a risk factor for cardiac complications, reduction in antioxidant defense system, and developing neurological symptoms. All the pesticides were higher than the European Union Maximum Residue Levels (EU-MRL). Diazinon has the potential to cause higher chronic health risks. Chronic Khat chewers in the region may face potential health risks from pesticide residues. Awareness creation among people in the study area is necessary to avoid the adverse health effects of pesticide residues.

Individuals with substance use disorder are prone to develop different psychiatric disorders. Substance abuse and associated problems are of current global concern that leads to mental health disorders which contributed about 14% of the global burden of the disease. It has become an epidemic in some parts of the African region with adolescents being the main victims of the ill health and social effects of substance use. This study is aimed at assessing the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress and associated factors among khat chewers in the Amhara region, 2019. A community-based cross-sectional study was done from February 14 to April 15, 2019. A purposive sampling technique was used to enroll the subjects. Data was collected using the face-to-face interview technique using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to summarize the results. p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 478 participants were enrolled in the study with a response rate of 94.1%. The overall prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 27.4%, 40.6%, and 18.8%, respectively. Around 43% of the respondents develop dependency from khat chewing. Working in a private sector, being self-employed, being jobless, spending 90 to 180 minutes and more, chewing 51-100 g and more, and chewing khat more than once per week were positively associated with stress. On the other hand, being a private sector worker, being jobless, completing secondary education, earning 1001-5000 ETB per month, chewing khat more than once per week, being khat dependent, and the presence of chronic illness were positively associated with anxiety. History of chronic illness and being khat dependent were positively associated with depression. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was high among khat chewers in the Amhara region. Special attention has to be given to khat chewers since khat chewing will double the burden of mental illness. Proper awareness and evaluation activities will reduce the impact of the problem.

With the widespread availability of a vast number of chemicals and drugs, acute poisoning is a common medical emergency worldwide. In spite of the success of interventions to prevent toxic ingestions, acute poisoning continues to be an important public health problem. Because of weak regulations and limited health care services in developing countries, adverse outcomes from poisoning are more prevalent than in the developed world. Due to the limited Ethiopian literature on this topic, the primary objective of this study was to evaluate and report poisoning cases, their management and outcome in northwest Ethiopia.This is a retrospective study of all poisoning cases admitted and managed in the emergency centres of Gondar Teaching Referral Hospital and Metema and Debark district hospitals, from September 2010 to December 2014. Data was collected through retrospective chart review of patients who were admitted due to poisoning.There were 543 registered poisoning cases listed in the registry during the study period, of which 344 cases (63.4%) had complete data and were included in the final analysis. There were 48,619 emergency centre visits during the study period, with poisoning cases accounting for 1.1%. Females (60%) were predominant among intentional as well as unintentional poisoning cases. Patients between 15 and 24 years of age accounted for 55% of the cases. Patients poisoned with organophosphate and bleaching agents accounted for 35% and 25%, respectively. Among the poisoning patients, 74% were treated with decontamination, while those exposed to organophosphate were treated with atropine 45.5% (55/121) of the time.Young females comprise a group at increased risk for suicidal poisonings. As a developing nation, pesticide and bleaching agents remain a significant cause of acute poisonings in Ethiopia. Intentional poisoning remains the most significant identified cause of poisoning overall.Avec la disponibilité largement répandue d’un grand nombre de produits chimiques et de médicaments, les intoxications aiguës constituent une urgence médicale fréquente partout dans le monde. En dépit du succès des interventions visant à prévenir l’ingestion de substances toxiques, l’intoxication aiguë reste un problème de santé publique important. En raison de la faiblesse des réglementations et des services de soins de santé limités dans les pays en voie de développement, les effets indésirables des intoxications y prévalent davantage que dans le monde développé. En raison des limites de la littérature éthiopienne sur cette question, le principal objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer et de rendre compte des cas d’intoxication, de leur traitement et de leurs conclusions dans le Nord-ouest de l’Ethiopie.Cette étude est une étude rétrospective de tous les cas d’intoxication ayant fait l’objet d’une admission et d’un traitement dans les services des urgences de l’hôpital universitaire de Gondar et des hôpitaux de district de Metema et de Debark de septembre 2010 à décembre 2014. Des données ont été recueillies au moyen d’un examen rétrospectif des dossiers de patients admis pour intoxication.543 cas d’intoxication ont été inscrits dans le registre au cours de la période couverte par l’étude, 344 dossiers (63,4%) qui disposaient de données complètes ont été inclus dans l’analyse finale. Au cours de la période à l’étude, 48 619 visites ont été enregistrées aux services des urgences, les cas d’intoxication totalisant 1,1% de ces visites. Les femmes (60%) étaient prédominantes, tant pour les cas d’empoisonnement intentionnel que d’intoxication non intentionnelle. Les patients âgés de 15 à 24 ans constituaient 55% des cas. Les patients souffrant d’une intoxication aux organophosphates et agents blanchissants totalisaient respectivement 35% et 25% des cas d’intoxication. Parmi les patients souffrant d’intoxication, 74% étaient traités par voie de décontamination et ceux exposés aux organophosphates étaient traités à l’atropine dans 45,5% des cas (55/121).Les jeunes femmes constituent un groupe présentant un risque accru de suicide par empoisonnement. En raison de sa situation de pays en voie de développement, les pesticides et agents de blanchiment restent une cause significative d’intoxication aiguë en Ethiopie. Les empoisonnements intentionnels restent la cause d’intoxication globale la plus importante.