Format
ISSUP Event
Publication Date
Published by / Citation
Dr Matilda Mghoi Omollo
Original Language

English

Themes
Addiction
Keywords
research
ISSUP Event
Uniting the global community to face the challenge of addiction
Speaker
Dr Matilda Mghoi Omollo

The Role of Traumatic Life Events Among Patients at the Mathari Drug Rehabilitation Centre - Dr Matilda Mghoi Omollo, Day 4, 15:30-16:57

Submitted by Luciana Bruno - 16 June 2022

Presented as part of the Uniting the global community to face the challenge of addiction event, online on 15th May, 2022

Presentation:

  • The Role of Traumatic Life Events Among Patients at the Mathari Drug Rehabilitation Centre - Dr Matilda Mghoi Omollo

Abstract:

  • The Role of Traumatic Life Events Among Patients at the Mathari Drug Rehabilitation Centre - Dr Matilda Mghoi Omollo 

Background: While Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) often occur in the context of PTSD, little is known about the degree to which SUDs are attributable to specific traumatic event.

Objective: The study aimed at exploring the types of traumatic life events, their association in the initiation, progression and relapse to addiction behavior of SUDs

Rationale: The study aims to establish the role of traumatic life events it plays in addiction process among persons with SUDs and particularly in East Africa where little research has been conducted in reference to the role of traumatic life events in patients with SUDs.

Methodology: The study was an exploratory Qualitative study using in-depth interviews and focused on group discussions. All 42 Participants were purposively sampled from 47 patients with SUDs at Mathari Hospital Drug Rehabilitation Centre.

Results: The findings showered that drinking to cope with negative affect predicted alcohol consumption after trauma with some patients experiencing painful childhoods traumatic events from their families that worsened during addiction phase and affected their current familial relationships.

Conclusions: Despite many respondents alluding to Traumatic events being the cause of the initiation to addictive behavior, majority of the respondents experienced even more severe trauma while in active addiction.

Learning objectives
  1. To establish the types of traumatic life events common among patients at the Mathari Hospital Drug Rehabilitation (MHDR).
  2. To describe how these traumatic life events lead to the initiation, Progression, and Relapse of addictive behavior among the patients at the MHDR.
Other author names
  • Mwakazo