ISSN 2326-7283
African Journal of Internal Medicine ISSN 2326-7283 Vol. 8 (1), pp. 001-007, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research
Risk factors of volatile substances abuse (VSA) and HBV as indicators for their prevalence in Sudanese homeless Individuals in Khartoum State
Darien Omer Abbas1* and Omer Abbas Mohamad Jahala2
1Immunology in Tropical Medicine (SUDAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES) SAS, Private Medical Lab, Sudan.
2Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shendi University, Sudan.
Accepted 15 March 2019
Abstract
The prevalence of HBV among VSA homeless individual in Khartoum state is more than in non VSA individual. The aims of this study are: to identify the possible reasons that homeless individuals get into glue sniffing; to estimate the prevalence of viral hepatitis B disease among volatile substances abusers (VSA); to better understand the relationship between viral hepatitis B infections and the bad habits underlying these outcomes; and to estimate the STDs and sexual behaviors among the study population using reflections to questionnaire. A case control study was designed to address these relationships. The study targeted 30 VSA (Case) and 58 normal individuals (Control) in Khartoum state aged 10-17 years. Using a questionnaire, the data were collected and ELISA test for detection of HBV was carried out. The chi square test and odds ratio were used to obtain the statistical results of this research (the significant level (P value is less than 0.05)). The study found that 13.3% of cases and 8.6% of controls were infected by HBV. The relationships between the glue sniffing and the war, the broken family ties and the peer influence were highly significant (P < 0.01). However, the relationship between infection with HBV and glue sniffing were insignificant. Nevertheless, the relationship between infection with HBV and surgeries were significant in case group (P < 0.05). This study demonstrated that the main reasons for being homeless and get into glue sniffing are war, family break up and peer influence. We also concluded that the risk factors that lead to infection with STDs are common among the study population, leading to consequent outcomes like infection with HBV.
Key words: Shamasa street children in Sudan, volatile substances abuse (VSA), hepatitis B virus (HBV).