Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Perceived and misperceived norms about khat and/or cannabis use among adults in southwest Uganda.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Perkins, JM; Kakuhikire, B; Baguma, C; Meadows, M; Evans, CQ; Jurinsky, J; Rasmussen, JD; Satinsky, EN; Ayebare, P; Kyokunda, V; Juliet, M ...
Published in: The International journal on drug policy
March 2022

Studies from high-income contexts have found evidence that norms about substance use are misperceived. The accuracy of perceived norms about khat and cannabis use in Uganda have not previously been described.We conducted a population-based study targeting all resident adults across eight villages in southwestern Uganda. Personal khat and/or cannabis use frequency was based on self-report. We measured perceived norms about substance use by eliciting individuals' perceptions about how often most other adult men and most other adult women in their villages used these substances. We compared perceived norms to aggregated village rates of use to assess the extent to which norms were misperceived. We used multivariable Poisson regression to estimate correlates of misperceived norms.Among 1626 participants (91% response rate), only 29 men (4%) and 9 women (1%) reported any lifetime use of khat and/or cannabis. However, 695 participants (43%) did not think lifetime abstinence was the norm among men in their villages, and 256 participants (16%) did not think lifetime abstinence was the norm among women. Moreover, 219 participants (13%) incorrectly believed most men in their village regularly used khat and/or cannabis (≥4 times per week). Misperceived norms were present across subgroups and were correlated with larger social networks, symptoms of depression, loneliness, and younger age.In this study of all adults across 8 villages in rural Uganda, many participants misperceived norms about khat and/or cannabis use. Providing accurate information about prevailing norms in the local population may help prevent initiation of khat and/or cannabis use among adults in this context.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

The International journal on drug policy

DOI

EISSN

1873-4758

ISSN

0955-3959

Publication Date

March 2022

Volume

101

Start / End Page

103527

Related Subject Headings

  • Uganda
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Substance Abuse
  • Social Norms
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Catha
  • Cannabis
  • Adult
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Perkins, J. M., Kakuhikire, B., Baguma, C., Meadows, M., Evans, C. Q., Jurinsky, J., … Tsai, A. C. (2022). Perceived and misperceived norms about khat and/or cannabis use among adults in southwest Uganda. The International Journal on Drug Policy, 101, 103527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103527
Perkins, Jessica M., Bernard Kakuhikire, Charles Baguma, Meredith Meadows, Claire Q. Evans, Jordan Jurinsky, Justin D. Rasmussen, et al. “Perceived and misperceived norms about khat and/or cannabis use among adults in southwest Uganda.The International Journal on Drug Policy 101 (March 2022): 103527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103527.
Perkins JM, Kakuhikire B, Baguma C, Meadows M, Evans CQ, Jurinsky J, et al. Perceived and misperceived norms about khat and/or cannabis use among adults in southwest Uganda. The International journal on drug policy. 2022 Mar;101:103527.
Perkins, Jessica M., et al. “Perceived and misperceived norms about khat and/or cannabis use among adults in southwest Uganda.The International Journal on Drug Policy, vol. 101, Mar. 2022, p. 103527. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103527.
Perkins JM, Kakuhikire B, Baguma C, Meadows M, Evans CQ, Jurinsky J, Rasmussen JD, Satinsky EN, Ayebare P, Kyokunda V, Juliet M, Bangsberg DR, Tsai AC. Perceived and misperceived norms about khat and/or cannabis use among adults in southwest Uganda. The International journal on drug policy. 2022 Mar;101:103527.
Journal cover image

Published In

The International journal on drug policy

DOI

EISSN

1873-4758

ISSN

0955-3959

Publication Date

March 2022

Volume

101

Start / End Page

103527

Related Subject Headings

  • Uganda
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Substance Abuse
  • Social Norms
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Catha
  • Cannabis
  • Adult