| dc.description.abstract | Mairungi is an aromatic and a slightly tastier leafy shrub cultivated mostly in Ethiopia, East Africa and Southern Peninsula. Mairungi chewing is known to cause serious illnesses such cardiovascular disorders particularly heart failure as well as addictive behavior. However, the World Health Organization categorized mairungi as a drug that can lead to mild to moderate psychological dependence but to a lesser degree than nicotine and alcohol and the WHO does not deem mairungi to be as dangerously addictive as cocaine. Widespread use of mairungi, especially its concurrent use with tobacco, remains a public health challenge throughout the world including continents like Asia, Europe, Australia, North America, South America, and Africa and addictive tendency is known to have serious economic and budgetary implications on its consumers. The mairungi consumption in Maracha district has become a culture with nearly 90% prevalence in adult males and females alike in the recent past and is used in virtually every social occasion resulting in animated and antisocial behaviors.
To understand the risk factors to consuming mairungi in Maracha district, the researcher adopted a cross sectional survey with quantitative method to obtain responses from the people of district. Multistage cluster sampling method was used to sample four trading centers in the district and 27 respondents were conveniently sampled to form the sample size of 108 that was determined using Cochran’s formula. Univariate analysis was used to summarize and present the categorical variables in frequency tables. Chi-square test was used to ascertain the significant association of the risk factors of mairungi consumption.
It was found out that the person’s occupation, peer influence and the family history of mairungi usage were significantly associated with mairungi usage whereas gender, age group, marital status, education level and income level did not significantly influence someone’s chance of using mairungi.
The study concludes and recommends that the district local government prioritizes vocational training to equip the population with skills to increase employment opportunities and create recreational activities like dramas, sports and cultural dances which will be used to sensitize the masses to change their mindset on chewing mairungi and at the same time occupying them. | en_US |
