Ethnopharmacological relevance: The leaves of Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) or kratom have been traditionally used in Malaysia and Thailand mainly to enhance work productivity, as a folk remedy for treating common ailments, and as a mood enhancer.
Aim of the study: This present study sought to investigate kratom use motives among regular kratom users in Malaysia.
Materials and methods: A total of 116 regular kratom users were recruited for this cross-sectional survey. The Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ) was administered to measure kratom use motives.
Results: Our results indicate that heavy (>3 glasses daily, each glass contains 48.24-50.4 mg of mitragynine) kratom use was associated with coping (t87.09 =3.544, p < 0.001), and enhancement (t114 =2.180, p = 003). Single subjects had higher mean scores on the coping domain, relative to married subject (t113.89 =3.029, p < 0.003), while those earning more than RM1500 per month had higher mean scores on the enhancement domain, compare to those earning less than RM1500 per month (t107 =2.151, p < 0.034). Higher scores on the coping domain was significantly associated with higher (>3 glasses daily) kratom consumption (p < 0.0045).
Conclusions: Coping was associated with high (>3 glasses daily) kratom consumption among regular kratom users in traditional, rural settings.
Keywords: Coping; Kratom; Malaysia; Motives; mitragynine and opioid.
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